Tetrahydrofolate metabolic enzymes

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to an isolated nucleic acid fragment encoding a tetrahydrofolate metabolic enzyme. The invention also relates to the construction of a chimeric gene encoding all or a portion of the tetrahydrofolate metabolic enzyme, in sense or antisense orientation, wherein expression of the chimeric gene results in production of altered levels of the tetrahydrofolate metabolic enzyme in a transformed host cell.

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/112,734, filed Dec. 18, 1998.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] This invention is in the field of plant molecular biology. More specifically, this invention pertains to nucleic acid fragments encoding tetrahydrofolate metabolic enzymes in plants and seeds.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Tetrahydrofolic acid and its derivatives N⁵,N¹⁰-methylenetetrahydrofolate, N⁵,N¹⁰-methenyltetrahydrofolate, N¹⁰-formyltetrahydrofolate, and N⁵-methyltetrahydrofolate are the biologically-active forms of folic acid, a four-electron-oxidized form of tetrahydrofolate (THF). The tetrahydrofolates are coenzymes which are not enzyme-bound and are specialized cosubstrates for a variety of enzymes involved in one-carbon metabolism. THF is a 6-methylpterin derivative linked to p-aminobenzoic acid and glutamic acid residues. Its function is to transfer C1 units in several oxidation states. The C1 units are covalently attached to THF at its N5 and/or N10 positions and enter into the THF pool through the conversion of serine to glycine by serine hydroxymethyl transferase and the cleavage of glycine by glycine synthase. A C1 unit in the THF pool can have several outcomes: it may be used in the conversion of the deoxynucleotide dUMP to dTMP by thymidylate synthase, it may be reduced for the synthesis of methionine, or it may oxidized for the use in the synthesis of purines, since the purine ring from ATP is involved in histidine biosynthesis.

[0004] Serine hydroxymethylase, phosphoribosylglycinamide formyltransferase, phosphoribosylaminoimidazolecarboxamide formyltransferase, formate-tetrahydrofolate ligase and aminomethyltransferase are five enzymes involved in tetrahydrofolate metabolism. Serine hydroxymethylase (EC 2.1.2.1) is also called serine aldolase, glycine hydroxymethyltransferase or threonine aldolase. This enzyme catalyzes the conversion of 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate and glycine to tetrahydrofolate and L-serine. This enzyme is involved in multiple pathways such as glycine, serine and threonine metabolism, lysine degradation, cyano-amino acid metabolism and one carbon pool by folate and methane metabolism. In pea, two mitochondrial forms and a non-mitochondrial form of the enzyme are found. The mRNA appears to be expressed predominantly in leaves (Turner et al. (1992) J. Biol. Chem. 267:13528-13534).

[0005] Phosphoribosylglycinamide formyltransferase (EC 2.1.2.2), also called GAR transformylase or 5′-phosphoribosylgycinamide transformylase is involved in the purine metabolism pathway and the one carbon pool folate. It is located in the chloroplast and catalyzes the conversion of 10-formyltetrahydrofolate and 5′-phosphoribosylglycinamide into tetrahydrofolate and 5′-phosphoribosyl-N-formylglycinamide. It is the third enzyme in the 10-step de novo purine biosynthetic pathway and its cDNA has been identified in Arabidopsis thaliana where it was shown to encode a single monofunctional enzyme (Schnorr et al. (1994) Plant J. 6:113-121).

[0006] Phosphoribosylaminoimidazolecarboxamide formyltransferase (EC 2.1.2.3), also called 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribonucleotide (AICAR) transformylase, catalyzes the ninth step of the de novo purine biosynthesis pathway converting 10-formyltetrahydrofolate and 1-(5′-phosphoribosyl)-5-amino-4-imidazolecarboxamide to tetrahydrofolate and 1-(5′-phosphoribosyl)-5-formamido-4-inidazolecarboxamide. Two Saccharomyces cerevisiae genes encoding isozymes of AICAR transformylase have been described. Yeast is the only organism where two different isozymes have been identified (Tibbetts and Appling (1997) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 340:195-200).

[0007] Formate-tetrahydrofolate ligase (EC 6.3.4.3) is also called formyltetrahydrofolate synthetase or 10-formyltetrahydrofolate synthetase. In eukaryotes it occurs as a trifunctional enzyme also having methylenetetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase (EC 1.5.1.5) and methenyltetrahydrofolate cyclohydrolase (EC 3.5.4.9) activities. It is involved in the glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolism pathways and one carbon pool by folate and folate biosynthesis. The first plant formate-tetrahydrofolate ligase has been purified from spinach leaves where it appears to be monofunctional and where it was found to be a dimer with a subunit molecular weight of 67,000 (Nour and Rabinowitz (1991) J. Biol. Chem. 266:18363-18369).

[0008] Aminomethyltransferase (EC 2.1.2.10), is also called T-Protein of the glycine cleavage system, tetrahydrofolate aminomethyltransferase or S-aminomethyldihydrolipoylprotein (6S)-tetrahydrofolate aminomethyltransferase (ammonia-forming). It catalyzes the conversion of (6S)-tetrahydrofolate and S-aminomethyldihydrolipoylprotein to (6R)-5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate, ammonia and Dihydrolipoylprotein. Aminomethyltransferase from pea has been purified to homogeneity and its cDNA identified. Using Northern blot analysis, a high steady state level of mRNA was found to accumulate in green leaves compared to etiolated leaves. The mRNA was also found in roots where the protein is detectable by Western blot analysis (Bourguignon et al. (1993) Eur. J. Biochem. 217:377-386).

[0009] Because these enzymes are involved in tetrahydrofolate metabolism, amino acid synthesis, fatty acid biosynthesis and de novo synthesis of purines, inhibition of their activity may be lethal, thus suggesting that they would be attractive herbicide targets. Production of these plant enzymes in bacteria for use in a high throughput screen for chemical inhibitors would be desirable. Alternatively, overproduction of these enzymes in transgenic plants could be used to enhance the production of many secondary metabolites, amino acids, purine nucleic acids and vitamins. Accordingly, the availability of nucleic acid sequences encoding all or a portion of an enzyme involved in tetrahydrofolate metabolism would facilitate studies to better understand tetrahydrofolate metabolism in plants and provide genetic tools to enhance the production of secondary metabolites, amino acids and vitamins. These enzymes may also provide targets to facilitate design and/or identification of inhibitors of tetrahydrofolate metabolism that may be useful as herbicides.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The present invention relates to isolated polynucleotides comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide of at least 100 amino acids that has at least 90% identity based on the Clustal method of alignment when compared to a serine hydroxymethylase polypeptide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:2, 4, 6, 8, 34, 36, 38, and 40. The present invention also relates to an isolated polynucleotide comprising the complement of the nucleotide sequences described above.

[0011] The present invention relates to isolated polynucleotides comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide of at least 70 amino acids that has at least 80% identity based on the Clustal method of alignment when compared to a phosphoribosylglycinamide formyltransferase polypeptide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:10, 12, 42, 44, and 46. The present invention also relates to an isolated polynucleotide comprising the complement of the nucleotide sequences described above.

[0012] The present invention relates to isolated polynucleotides comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide of at least 70 amino acids that has at least 90% identity based on the Clustal method of alignment when compared to a phosphoribosylaminoimidazolecarboxamide formyltransferase polypeptide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:14, 16, 48, 50, 52, and 54. The present invention also relates to an isolated polynucleotide comprising the complement of the nucleotide sequences described above.

[0013] The present invention relates to isolated polynucleotides comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide of at least 70 amino acids that has at least 90% identity based on the Clustal method of alignment when compared to a formate-tetrahydrofolate ligase polypeptide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:18, 20, 22, 24, 56, 58, 60, and 62. The present invention also relates to an isolated polynucleotide comprising the complement of the nucleotide sequences described above.

[0014] The present invention relates to isolated polynucleotides comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide of at least 60 amino acids that has at least 90% identity based on the Clustal method of alignment when compared to an aminomethyltransferase polypeptide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:26, 28, 30, 32, 64, 66, 68, and 70. The present invention also relates to an isolated polynucleotide comprising the complement of the nucleotide sequences described above.

[0015] It is preferred that the isolated polynucleotides of the claimed invention consist of a nucleic acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 33, 35, 37, 39, 41, 43, 45, 47, 49, 51, 53, 55, 57, 59, 61, 63, 65, 67, and 69 that codes for the polypeptide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60, 62, 64, 66, 68, and 70. The present invention also relates to an isolated polynucleotide comprising a nucleotide sequences of at least one of 60 (preferably at least one of 40, most preferably at least one of 30) contiguous nucleotides derived from a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 33, 35, 37, 39, 41, 43, 45, 47, 49, 51, 53, 55, 57, 59, 61, 63, 65, 67, 69 and the complement of such nucleotide sequences.

[0016] The present invention relates to a chimeric gene comprising an isolated polynucleotide of the present invention operably linked to suitable regulatory sequences.

[0017] The present invention relates to an isolated host cell comprising a chimeric gene of the present invention or an isolated polynucleotide of the present invention. The host cell may be eukaryotic, such as a yeast or a plant cell, or prokaryotic, such as a bacterial cell. The present invention also relates to a virus, preferably a baculovirus, comprising an isolated polynucleotide of the present invention or a chimeric gene of the present invention.

[0018] The present invention relates to a process for producing an isolated host cell comprising a chimeric gene of the present invention or an isolated polynucleotide of the present invention, the process comprising either transforming or transfecting an isolated compatible host cell with a chimeric gene or isolated polynucleotide of the present invention.

[0019] The present invention relates to a serine hydroxymethylase polypeptide of at least 100 amino acids comprising at least 90% homology based on the Clustal method of alignment compared to a polypeptide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:2, 4, 6, 8, 34, 36, 38, and 40.

[0020] The present invention relates to a phosphoribosylglycinamide formyltransferase polypeptide of at least 70 amino acids comprising at least 80% homology based on the Clustal method of alignment compared to a polypeptide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:10, 12, 42, 44, and 46.

[0021] The present invention relates to a phosphoribosylaminoimidazolecarboxamide formyltransferase polypeptide of at least 70 amino acids comprising at least 90% homology based on the Clustal method of alignment compared to a polypeptide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:14, 16, 48, 50, 52, and 54.

[0022] The present invention relates to a formate-tetrahydrofolateligase polypeptide of at least 70 amino acids comprising at least 90% homology based on the Clustal method of alignment compared to a polypeptide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:18, 20, 22, 24, 56, 58, 60, and 62.

[0023] The present invention relates to an aminomethyltransferase polypeptide of at least 60 amino acids comprising at least 90% homology based on the Clustal method of alignment compared to a polypeptide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:26, 28, 30, 32, 64, 66, 68, and 70.

[0024] The present invention relates to a method of selecting an isolated polynucleotide that affects the level of expression of a tetrahydrofolate metabolic enzyme polypeptide in a host cell, preferably a plant cell, the method comprising the steps of: (a) constructing an isolated polynucleotide of the present invention or an isolated chimeric gene of the present invention; (b) introducing the isolated polynucleotide or the isolated chimeric gene into a host cell; (c) measuring the level a serine hydroxymethylase, a phosphoribosylglycinamide formyltransferase, a phosphoribosylaminoimidazolecarboxamide formyltransferase, a formate-tetrahydrofolateligase or an aminomethyltransferase polypeptide in the host cell containing the isolated polynucleotide; and (d) comparing the level of the tetrahydrofolate metabolic enzyme polypeptide in the host cell containing the isolated polynucleotide with the level of the serine hydroxymethylase, the phosphoribosylglycinamide formyltransferase, the phosphoribosylaminoimidazolecarboxamide formyltransferase, the formate-tetrahydrofolate ligase or the aminomethyltransferase polypeptide in the host cell that does not contain the isolated polynucleotide.

[0025] The present invention relates to a method of obtaining a nucleic acid fragment encoding a substantial portion of a serine hydroxymethylase, a phosphoribosylglycinamide formyltransferase, a phosphoribosylaminoimidazolecarboxamide formyltransferase, a formate-tetrahydrofolateligase or an aminomethyltransferase polypeptide gene, preferably a plant serine hydroxymethylase, phosphoribosylglycinamide formyltransferase, phosphoribosylaminoimidazolecarboxamide formyltransferase, formate-tetrahydrofolateligase or aminomethyltransferase polypeptide gene, comprising the steps of: synthesizing an oligonucleotide primer comprising a nucleotide sequence of at least one of 60 (preferably at least one of 40, most preferably at least one of 30) contiguous nucleotides derived from a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 33, 35, 37, 39, 41, 43, 45, 47, 49, 51, 53, 55, 57, 59, 61, 63, 65, 67, 69 and the complement of such nucleotide sequences; and amplifying a nucleic acid fragment (preferably a cDNA inserted in a cloning vector) using the oligonucleotide primer. The amplified nucleic acid fragment preferably will encode a portion of a serine hydroxymethylase, a phosphoribosylglycinamide formyltransferase, a phosphoribosylaminoimidazolecarboxamide formyltransferase, a formate-tetrahydrofolateligase or an aminomethyltransferase amino acid sequence.

[0026] The present invention also relates to a method of obtaining a nucleic acid fragment encoding all or a substantial portion of the amino acid sequence encoding a serine hydroxymethylase, a phosphoribosylglycinamide formyltransferase, a phosphoribosylaminoimidazolecarboxamide formyltransferase, a formate-tetrahydrofolateligase or an aminomethyltransferase polypeptide comprising the steps of: probing a cDNA or genomic library with an isolated polynucleotide of the present invention; identifying a DNA clone that hybridizes with an isolated polynucleotide of the present invention; isolating the identified DNA clone; and sequencing the cDNA or genomic fragment that comprises the isolated DNA clone.

[0027] A further embodiment of the instant invention is a method for evaluating at least one compound for its ability to inhibit the activity of a serine hydroxymethylase, a phosphoribosylglycinamide formyltransferase, a phosphoribosylaminoimidazolecarboxamide formyltransferase, a formate-tetrahydrofolateligase or an aminomethyltransferase, the method comprising the steps of: (a) transforming a host cell with a chimeric gene comprising a nucleic acid fragment encoding a serine hydroxymethylase, a phosphoribosylglycinamide formyltransferase, a phosphoribosylaminoimidazolecarboxamide formyltransferase, a formate-tetrahydrofolateligase or an aminomethyltransferase, operably linked to suitable regulatory sequences; (b) growing the transformed host cell under conditions that are suitable for expression of the chimeric gene wherein expression of the chimeric gene results in production of serine hydroxymethylase, phosphoribosylglycinamide formyltransferase, phosphoribosylaminoimidazolecarboxamide formyltransferase, formate-tetrahydrofolate ligase or aminomethyltransferase in the transformed host cell; (c) optionally purifying the serine hydroxymethylase, the phosphoribosylglycinamide formyltransferase, the phosphoribosylaminoimidazolecarboxamide formyltransferase, the formate—tetrahydrofolate ligase or the aminomethyltransferase expressed by the transformed host cell; (d) treating the serine hydroxymethylase, the phosphoribosylglycinamide formyltransferase, the phosphoribosylaminoimidazolecarboxamide formyltransferase, the formate-tetrahydrofolate ligase or the aminomethyltransferase with a compound to be tested; and (e) comparing the activity of the serine hydroxymethylase, the phosphoribosylglycinamide formyltransferase, the phosphoribosylaminoimidazolecarboxamide formyltransferase, the formate-tetrahydrofolate ligase or the aminomethyltransferase that has been treated with a test compound to the activity of an untreated serine hydroxymethylase, phosphoribosylglycinamide formyltransferase, phosphoribosylaminoimidazolecarboxamide formyltransferase, formate-tetrahydrofolateligase or aminomethyltransferase, thereby selecting compounds with potential for inhibitory activity.

[0028] The present invention relates to a composition, such as a hybridization mixture, comprising an isolated polynucleotide or polypeptide of the present invention.

[0029] The present invention relates to an isolated polynucleotide of the present invention comprising at least one of 30 contiguous nucleotides derived from a nucleic acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 33, 35, 37, 39, 41, 43, 45, 47, 49, 51, 53, 55, 57, 59, 61, 63, 65, 67, and 69.

[0030] The present invention relates to an expression cassette comprising an isolated polynucleotide of the present invention operably linked to a promoter.

[0031] The present invention relates to a method for positive selection of a transformed cell comprising: (a) transforming a host cell with the chimeric gene of the present invention or an expression cassette of the present invention; and (b) growing the transformed host cell, preferably plant cell, such as a monocot or a dicot, under conditions which allow expression of the serine hydroxymethylase, the phosphoribosylglycinamide formyltransferase, the phosphoribosylaminoimidazolecarboxamide formyltransferase, the formate—tetrahydrofolate ligase or the aminomethyltransferase polynucleotide in an amount sufficient to complement a null mutant to provide a positive selection means.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEQUENCE LISTINGS

[0032] The invention can be more fully understood from the following detailed description and the accompanying Sequence Listing which form a part of this application.

[0033] Table 1 lists the polypeptides that are described herein, the designation of the cDNA clones that comprise the nucleic acid fragments encoding polypeptides representing all or a substantial portion of these polypeptides, and the corresponding identifier (SEQ ID NO: _______) as used in the attached Sequence Listing. The sequence descriptions and Sequence Listing attached hereto comply with the rules governing nucleotide and/or amino acid sequence disclosures in patent applications as set forth in 37 C.F.R. §1.821-1.825. TABLE 1 Tetrahydrofolate Metabolic Enzymes SEQ ID NO: (Amino Protein Clone Designation (Nucleotide) Acid) Corn Serine cr1n.pk0160.h1 1 2 Hydroxymethylase Rice Serine r1r72.pk0003.e3 3 4 Hydroxymethylase Soybean Serine sfl1.pk125.g5 5 6 Hydroxymethylase Wheat Serine Contig of: 7 8 Hydroxymethylase wlk8.pk0011.e10 wlm96.pk044.f15 Corn Serine p0116.cesar94r 33 34 Hydroxymethylase Rice Serine rlr72.pk0003.e3:fis 35 36 Hydroxymethylase Soybean Serine sfl1.pk125.g5:fis 37 38 Hydroxymethylase Wheat Serine wlk8.pk0011.e10:fis 39 40 Hydroxymethylase Corn Phosphoribosyl- cco1n.pk058.k22 9 10 glycinamide formyltransferase Wheat Phosphoribosyl- wre1n.pk174.a10 11 12 glycinamide formyltransferase Corn Phosphoribosyl- cco1n.pk058.k22:fis 41 42 glycinamide formyltransferase Rice Phosphoribosyl- rca1n.pk004.e20 43 44 glycinamide formyltransferase Wheat Phosphoribosyl- wre1n.pk174.a10:fis 45 46 glycinamide formyltransferase Rice AICAR rl0n.pk081.c17 13 14 Transformylase Wheat AICAR wlmk8.pk0015.h6 15 16 Transformylase Corn AICAR p0037.crwaf77r 47 48 Transformylase Rice AICAR rl0n.pk081.c17:fis 49 50 Transformylase Soybean AICAR srn1c.pk002.j23 51 52 Transformylase Wheat AICAR wlmk8.pk0015.h6:fis 53 54 Transformylase Corn Formate- cr1.pk0010.b5 17 18 Tetrahydrofolate Ligase Rice Formate- rl0n.pk085.h13 19 20 Tetrahydrofolate Ligase oybean Formate- ses9c.pk001.p2 21 22 Tetrahydrofolate Ligase Wheat Formate- wlmk1.pk0034.f9 23 24 Tetrahydrofolate Ligase Corn Formate- Contig of: 55 56 Tetrahydrofolate cr1.pk0010.b5:fis Ligase p0030.cdbag33r p0125.czaac39r Rice Formate- rl0n.pk085.h13:fis 57 58 Tetrahydrofolate Ligase Soybean Formate- ses9c.pk001.p2:fis 59 60 Tetrahydrofolate Ligase Wheat Formate- wlmk1.pk0034.f9:fis 61 62 Tetrahydrofolate Ligase Corn Aminomethyl- ctn1c.pk001.d9 25 26 transferase Rice Aminomethyl- rlr2.pk0017.b2 27 28 transferase Soybean Aminomethyl- sgs4c.pk005.p8 29 30 transferase Wheat Aminomethyl- wl1n.pk0105.h9 31 32 transferase Corn Aminomethyl- csc1c.pk005.n13 63 64 transferase Rice Aminomethyl- rlr6.pk0094.f10 65 66 transferase Soybean Aminomethyl- sgs4c.pk005.p8:fis 67 68 transferase Wheat Aminomethyl- wl1n.pk0105.h9:fis 69 70 transferase

[0034] The Sequence Listing contains the one letter code for nucleotide sequence characters and the three letter codes for amino acids as defined in conformity with the IUPAC-IUBMB standards described in Nucleic Acids Res. 13:3021-3030 (1985) and in the Biochemical J. 219 (No. 2):345-373 (1984) which are herein incorporated by reference. The symbols and format used for nucleotide and amino acid sequence data comply with the rules set forth in 37 C.F.R. §1.822.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0035] In the context of this disclosure, a number of terms shall be utilized. As used herein, a “polynucleotide” is a nucleotide sequence such as a nucleic acid fragment. A polynucleotide may be a polymer of RNA or DNA that is single- or double-stranded, that optionally contains synthetic, non-natural or altered nucleotide bases. A polynucleotide in the form of a polymer of DNA may be comprised of one or more segments of cDNA, genomic DNA, synthetic DNA, or mixtures thereof. An isolated polynucleotide of the present invention may include at least one of 60 contiguous nucleotides, preferably at least one of 40 contiguous nucleotides, most preferably one of at least 30 contiguous nucleotides derived from SEQ ID NOs:1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 33, 35, 37, 39, 41, 43, 45, 47, 49, 51, 53, 55, 57, 59, 61, 63, 65, 67, 69, or the complement of such sequences.

[0036] As used herein, “contig” refers to a nucleotide sequence that is assembled from two or more constituent nucleotide sequences that share common or overlapping regions of sequence homology. For example, the nucleotide sequences of two or more nucleic acid fragments can be compared and aligned in order to identify common or overlapping sequences. Where common or overlapping sequences exist between two or more nucleic acid fragments, the sequences (and thus their corresponding nucleic acid fragments) can be assembled into a single contiguous nucleotide sequence.

[0037] As used herein, “substantially similar” refers to nucleic acid fragments wherein changes in one or more nucleotide bases results in substitution of one or more amino acids, but do not affect the functional properties of the polypeptide encoded by the nucleotide sequence. “Substantially similar” also refers to nucleic acid fragments wherein changes in one or more nucleotide bases does not affect the ability of the nucleic acid fragment to mediate alteration of gene expression by gene silencing through for example antisense or co-suppression technology. “Substantially similar” also refers to modifications of the nucleic acid fragments of the instant invention such as deletion or insertion of one or more nucleotides that do not substantially affect the functional properties of the resulting transcript vis-à-vis the ability to mediate gene silencing or alteration of the functional properties of the resulting protein molecule. It is therefore understood that the invention encompasses more than the specific exemplary nucleotide or amino acid sequences and includes functional equivalents thereof.

[0038] Substantially similar nucleic acid fragments may be selected by screening nucleic acid fragments representing subfragments or modifications of the nucleic acid fragments of the instant invention, wherein one or more nucleotides are substituted, deleted and/or inserted, for their ability to affect the level of the polypeptide encoded by the unmodified nucleic acid fragment in a plant or plant cell. For example, a substantially similar nucleic acid fragment representing at least one of 30 contiguous nucleotides derived from the instant nucleic acid fragment can be constructed and introduced into a plant or plant cell. The level of the polypeptide encoded by the unmodified nucleic acid fragment present in a plant or plant cell exposed to the substantially similar nucleic fragment can then be compared to the level of the polypeptide in a plant or plant cell that is not exposed to the substantially similar nucleic acid fragment.

[0039] For example, it is well known in the art that antisense suppression and co-suppression of gene expression may be accomplished using nucleic acid fragments representing less than the entire coding region of a gene, and by nucleic acid fragments that do not share 100% sequence identity with the gene to be suppressed. Moreover, alterations in a nucleic acid fragment which result in the production of a chemically equivalent amino acid at a given site, but do not effect the functional properties of the encoded polypeptide, are well known in the art. Thus, a codon for the amino acid alanine, a hydrophobic amino acid, may be substituted by a codon encoding another less hydrophobic residue, such as glycine, or a more hydrophobic residue, such as valine, leucine, or isoleucine. Similarly, changes which result in substitution of one negatively charged residue for another, such as aspartic acid for glutamic acid, or one positively charged residue for another, such as lysine for arginine, can also be expected to produce a functionally equivalent product. Nucleotide changes which result in alteration of the N-terminal and C-terminal portions of the polypeptide molecule would also not be expected to alter the activity of the polypeptide. Each of the proposed modifications is well within the routine skill in the art, as is determination of retention of biological activity of the encoded products. Consequently, an isolated polynucleotide comprising a nucleotide sequence of at least one of 60 (preferably at least one of 40, most preferably at least one of 30) contiguous nucleotides derived from a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 33, 35, 37, 39, 41, 43, 45, 47, 49, 51, 53, 55, 57, 59, 61, 63, 65, 67, 69 and the complement of such nucleotide sequences may be used in methods of selecting an isolated polynucleotide that affects the expression of a tetrahydrofolate metabolic enzyme polypeptide, such as a serine hydroxymethylase, a phosphoribosylglycinamide formyltransferase, a phosphoribosylaminoimidazolecarboxamide formyltransferase, a formate-tetrahydrofolate ligase or an aminomethyltransferase, in a host cell. A method of selecting an isolated polynucleotide that affects the level of expression of a polypeptide in a host cell (eukaryotic, such as plant or yeast, prokaryotic such as bacterial, or viral) may comprise the steps of: constructing an isolated polynucleotide of the present invention or an isolated chimeric gene of the present invention; introducing the isolated polynucleotide or the isolated chimeric gene into a host cell; measuring the level a polypeptide in the host cell containing the isolated polynucleotide; and comparing the level of a polypeptide in the host cell containing the isolated polynucleotide with the level of a polypeptide in a host cell that does not contain the isolated polynucleotide.

[0040] Moreover, substantially similar nucleic acid fragments may also be characterized by their ability to hybridize. Estimates of such homology are provided by either DNA-DNA or DNA-RNA hybridization under conditions of stringency as is well understood by those skilled in the art (Hames and Higgins, Eds. (1985) Nucleic Acid Hybridisation, IRL Press, Oxford, U.K.). Stringency conditions can be adjusted to screen for moderately similar fragments, such as homologous sequences from distantly related organisms, to highly similar fragments, such as genes that duplicate functional enzymes from closely related organisms. Post-hybridization washes determine stringency conditions. One set of preferred conditions uses a series of washes starting with 6×SSC, 0.5% SDS at room temperature for 15 min, then repeated with 2×SSC, 0.5% SDS at 45° C. for 30 min, and then repeated twice with 0.2×SSC, 0.5% SDS at 50° C. for 30 min. A more preferred set of stringent conditions uses higher temperatures in which the washes are identical to those above except for the temperature of the final two 30 min washes in 0.2×SSC, 0.5% SDS was increased to 60° C. Another preferred set of highly stringent conditions uses two final washes in 0.1×SSC, 0.1% SDS at 65° C.

[0041] Substantially similar nucleic acid fragments of the instant invention may also be characterized by the percent identity of the amino acid sequences that they encode to the amino acid sequences disclosed herein, as determined by algorithms commonly employed by those skilled in this art. Suitable nucleic acid fragments (isolated polynucleotides of the present invention) encode polypeptides that are at least about 70% identical, preferably at least about 80% identical to the amino acid sequences reported herein. Preferred nucleic acid fragments encode amino acid sequences that are about 85% identical to the amino acid sequences reported herein. More preferred nucleic acid fragments encode amino acid sequences that are at least about 90% identical to the amino acid sequences reported herein. Most preferred are nucleic acid fragments that encode amino acid sequences that are at least about 95% identical to the amino acid sequences reported herein. Suitable nucleic acid fragments not only have the above homologies but typically encode a polypeptide having at least about 50 amino acids, preferably at least about 100 amino acids, more preferably at least about 150 amino acids, still more preferably at least about 200 amino acids, and most preferably at least about 250 amino acids. Sequence alignments and percent identity calculations were performed using the Megalign program of the LASERGENE bioinformatics computing suite (DNASTAR Inc., Madison, Wis.). Multiple alignment of the sequences was performed using the Clustal method of alignment (Higgins and Sharp (1989) CABIOS. 5:151-153) with the default parameters (GAP PENALTY=10, GAP LENGTH PENALTY=10). Default parameters for pairwise alignments using the Clustal method were KTUPLE 1, GAP PENALTY=3, WINDOW=5 and DIAGONALS SAVED=5.

[0042] A “substantial portion” of an amino acid or nucleotide sequence comprises an amino acid or a nucleotide sequence that is sufficient to afford putative identification of the protein or gene that the amino acid or nucleotide sequence comprises. Amino acid and nucleotide sequences can be evaluated either manually by one skilled in the art, or by using computer-based sequence comparison and identification tools that employ algorithms such as BLAST (Basic Local Alignment Search Tool; Altschul et al. (1993) J. Mol. Biol. 215:403-410; see also www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/BLAST/). In general, a sequence of ten or more contiguous amino acids or thirty or more contiguous nucleotides is necessary in order to putatively identify a polypeptide or nucleic acid sequence as homologous to a known protein or gene. Moreover, with respect to nucleotide sequences, gene-specific oligonucleotide probes comprising 30 or more contiguous nucleotides may be used in sequence-dependent methods of gene identification (e.g., Southern hybridization) and isolation (e.g., in situ hybridization of bacterial colonies or bacteriophage plaques). In addition, short oligonucleotides of 12 or more nucleotides may be used as amplification primers in PCR in order to obtain a particular nucleic acid fragment comprising the primers. Accordingly, a “substantial portion” of a nucleotide sequence comprises a nucleotide sequence that will afford specific identification and/or isolation of a nucleic acid fragment comprising the sequence. The instant specification teaches amino acid and nucleotide sequences encoding polypeptides that comprise one or more particular plant proteins. The skilled artisan, having the benefit of the sequences as reported herein, may now use all or a substantial portion of the disclosed sequences for purposes known to those skilled in this art. Accordingly, the instant invention comprises the complete sequences as reported in the accompanying Sequence Listing, as well as substantial portions of those sequences as defined above.

[0043] “Codon degeneracy” refers to divergence in the genetic code permitting variation of the nucleotide sequence without effecting the amino acid sequence of an encoded polypeptide. Accordingly, the instant invention relates to any nucleic acid fragment comprising a nucleotide sequence that encodes all or a substantial portion of the amino acid sequences set forth herein. The skilled artisan is well aware of the “codon-bias” exhibited by a specific host cell in usage of nucleotide codons to specify a given amino acid. Therefore, when synthesizing a nucleic acid fragment for improved expression in a host cell, it is desirable to design the nucleic acid fragment such that its frequency of codon usage approaches the frequency of preferred codon usage of the host cell.

[0044] “Synthetic nucleic acid fragments” can be assembled from oligonucleotide building blocks that are chemically synthesized using procedures known to those skilled in the art. These building blocks are ligated and annealed to form larger nucleic acid fragments which may then be enzymatically assembled to construct the entire desired nucleic acid fragment. “Chemically synthesized”, as related to nucleic acid fragment, means that the component nucleotides were assembled in vitro. Manual chemical synthesis of nucleic acid fragments may be accomplished using well established procedures, or automated chemical synthesis can be performed using one of a number of commercially available machines. Accordingly, the nucleic acid fragments can be tailored for optimal gene expression based on optimization of nucleotide sequence to reflect the codon bias of the host cell. The skilled artisan appreciates the likelihood of successful gene expression if codon usage is biased towards those codons favored by the host. Determination of preferred codons can be based on a survey of genes derived from the host cell where sequence information is available.

[0045] “Gene” refers to a nucleic acid fragment that expresses a specific protein, including regulatory sequences preceding (5′ non-coding sequences) and following (3′ non-coding sequences) the coding sequence. “Native gene” refers to a gene as found in nature with its own regulatory sequences. “Chimeric gene” refers any gene that is not a native gene, comprising regulatory and coding sequences that are not found together in nature. Accordingly, a chimeric gene may comprise regulatory sequences and coding sequences that are derived from different sources, or regulatory sequences and coding sequences derived from the same source, but arranged in a manner different than that found in nature. “Endogenous gene” refers to a native gene in its natural location in the genome of an organism. A “foreign” gene refers to a gene not normally found in the host organism, but that is introduced into the host organism by gene transfer. Foreign genes can comprise native genes inserted into a non-native organism, or chimeric genes. A “transgene” is a gene that has been introduced into the genome by a transformation procedure.

[0046] “Coding sequence” refers to a nucleotide sequence that codes for a specific amino acid sequence. “Regulatory sequences” refer to nucleotide sequences located upstream (5′ non-coding sequences), within, or downstream (3′ non-coding sequences) of a coding sequence, and which influence the transcription, RNA processing or stability, or translation of the associated coding sequence. Regulatory sequences may include promoters, translation leader sequences, introns, and polyadenylation recognition sequences.

[0047] “Promoter” refers to a nucleotide sequence capable of controlling the expression of a coding sequence or functional RNA. In general, a coding sequence is located 3′ to a promoter sequence. The promoter sequence consists of proximal and more distal upstream elements, the latter elements often referred to as enhancers. Accordingly, an “enhancer” is a nucleotide sequence which can stimulate promoter activity and may be an innate element of the promoter or a heterologous element inserted to enhance the level or tissue-specificity of a promoter. Promoters may be derived in their entirety from a native gene, or be composed of different elements derived from different promoters found in nature, or even comprise synthetic nucleotide segments. It is understood by those skilled in the art that different promoters may direct the expression of a gene in different tissues or cell types, or at different stages of development, or in response to different environmental conditions. Promoters which cause a nucleic acid fragment to be expressed in most cell types at most times are commonly referred to as “constitutive promoters”. New promoters of various types useful in plant cells are constantly being discovered; numerous examples may be found in the compilation by Okamuro and Goldberg (1989) Biochemistry of Plants 15:1-82. It is further recognized that since in most cases the exact boundaries of regulatory sequences have not been completely defined, nucleic acid fragments of different lengths may have identical promoter activity.

[0048] The “translation leader sequence” refers to a nucleotide sequence located between the promoter sequence of a gene and the coding sequence. The translation leader sequence is present in the fully processed mRNA upstream of the translation start sequence. The translation leader sequence may affect processing of the primary transcript to mRNA, mRNA stability or translation efficiency. Examples of translation leader sequences have been described (Turner and Foster (1995) Mol. Biotechnol. 3:225-236).

[0049] The “3′ non-coding sequences” refer to nucleotide sequences located downstream of a coding sequence and include polyadenylation recognition sequences and other sequences encoding regulatory signals capable of affecting mRNA processing or gene expression. The polyadenylation signal is usually characterized by affecting the addition of polyadenylic acid tracts to the 3′ end of the mRNA precursor. The use of different 3′ non-coding sequences is exemplified by Ingelbrecht et al. (1989) Plant Cell 1:671-680.

[0050] “RNA transcript” refers to the product resulting from RNA polymerase-catalyzed transcription of a DNA sequence. When the RNA transcript is a perfect complementary copy of the DNA sequence, it is referred to as the primary transcript or it may be a RNA sequence derived from posttranscriptional processing of the primary transcript and is referred to as the mature RNA. “Messenger RNA (mRNA)” refers to the RNA that is without introns and that can be translated into polypeptide by the cell. “cDNA” refers to a double-stranded DNA that is complementary to and derived from mRNA. “Sense” RNA refers to an RNA transcript that includes the mRNA and so can be translated into a polypeptide by the cell. “Antisense RNA” refers to an RNA transcript that is complementary to all or part of a target primary transcript or mRNA and that blocks the expression of a target gene (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,107,065, incorporated herein by reference). The complementarity of an antisense RNA may be with any part of the specific nucleotide sequence, i.e., at the 5′ non-coding sequence, 3′ non-coding sequence, introns, or the coding sequence. “Functional RNA” refers to sense RNA, antisense RNA, ribozyme RNA, or other RNA that may not be translated but yet has an effect on cellular processes.

[0051] The term “operably linked” refers to the association of two or more nucleic acid fragments on a single nucleic acid fragment so that the function of one is affected by the other. For example, a promoter is operably linked with a coding sequence when it is capable of affecting the expression of that coding sequence (i.e., that the coding sequence is under the transcriptional control of the promoter). Coding sequences can be operably linked to regulatory sequences in sense or antisense orientation.

[0052] The term “expression”, as used herein, refers to the transcription and stable accumulation of sense (mRNA) or antisense RNA derived from the nucleic acid fragment of the invention. Expression may also refer to translation of mRNA into a polypeptide. “Antisense inhibition” refers to the production of antisense RNA transcripts capable of suppressing the expression of the target protein. “Overexpression” refers to the production of a gene product in transgenic organisms that exceeds levels of production in normal or non-transformed organisms. “Co-suppression” refers to the production of sense RNA transcripts capable of suppressing the expression of identical or substantially similar foreign or endogenous genes (U.S. Pat. No. 5,231,020, incorporated herein by reference).

[0053] “Altered levels” refers to the production of gene product(s) in transgenic organisms in amounts or proportions that differ from that of normal or non-transformed organisms.

[0054] “Mature” protein refers to a post-translationally processed polypeptide; i.e., one from which any pre- or propeptides present in the primary translation product have been removed. “Precursor” protein refers to the primary product of translation of mRNA; i.e., with pre- and propeptides still present. Pre- and propeptides may be but are not limited to intracellular localization signals.

[0055] A “chloroplast transit peptide” is an amino acid sequence which is translated in conjunction with a protein and directs the protein to the chloroplast or other plastid types present in the cell in which the protein is made. “Chloroplast transit sequence” refers to a nucleotide sequence that encodes a chloroplast transit peptide. A “signal peptide” is an amino acid sequence which is translated in conjunction with a protein and directs the protein to the secretory system (Chrispeels (1991) Ann. Rev. Plant Phys. Plant Mol. Biol. 42:21-53). If the protein is to be directed to a vacuole, a vacuolar targeting signal (supra) can further be added, or if to the endoplasmic reticulum, an endoplasmic reticulum retention signal (supra) may be added. If the protein is to be directed to the nucleus, any signal peptide present should be removed and instead a nuclear localization signal included (Raikhel (1992) Plant Phys. 100:1627-1632).

[0056] “Transformation” refers to the transfer of a nucleic acid fragment into the genome of a host organism, resulting in genetically stable inheritance. Host organisms containing the transformed nucleic acid fragments are referred to as “transgenic” organisms. Examples of methods of plant transformation include Agrobacterium-mediated transformation (De Blaere et al. (1987) Meth. Enzymol. 143:277) and particle-accelerated or “gene gun” transformation technology (Klein et al. (1987) Nature (London) 327:70-73; U.S. Pat. No. 4,945,050, incorporated herein by reference).

[0057] Standard recombinant DNA and molecular cloning techniques used herein are well known in the art and are described more fully in Sambrook et al. Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual; Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press: Cold Spring Harbor, 1989 (hereinafter “Maniatis”).

[0058] Nucleic acid fragments encoding at least a portion of several tetrahydrofolate metabolic enzymes have been isolated and identified by comparison of random plant cDNA sequences to public databases containing nucleotide and protein sequences using the BLAST algorithms well known to those skilled in the art. The nucleic acid fragments of the instant invention may be used to isolate cDNAs and genes encoding homologous proteins from the same or other plant species. Isolation of homologous genes using sequence-dependent protocols is well known in the art. Examples of sequence-dependent protocols include, but are not limited to, methods of nucleic acid hybridization, and methods of DNA and RNA amplification as exemplified by various uses of nucleic acid amplification technologies (e.g., polymerase chain reaction, ligase chain reaction).

[0059] For example, genes encoding other serine hydroxymethylases, phosphoribosylglycinamide formyltransferases, phosphoribosylaminoimidazolecarboxamide formyltransferases, formate-tetrahydrofolateligases or aminomethyltransferases, either as cDNAs or genomic DNAs, could be isolated directly by using all or a portion of the instant nucleic acid fragments as DNA hybridization probes to screen libraries from any desired plant employing methodology well known to those skilled in the art. Specific oligonucleotide probes based upon the instant nucleic acid sequences can be designed and synthesized by methods known in the art (Maniatis). Moreover, the entire sequences can be used directly to synthesize DNA probes by methods known to the skilled artisan such as random primer DNA labeling, nick translation, or end-labeling techniques, or RNA probes using available in vitro transcription systems. In addition, specific primers can be designed and used to amplify a part or all of the instant sequences. The resulting amplification products can be labeled directly during amplification reactions or labeled after amplification reactions, and used as probes to isolate full length cDNA or genomic fragments under conditions of appropriate stringency.

[0060] In addition, two short segments of the instant nucleic acid fragments may be used in polymerase chain reaction protocols to amplify longer nucleic acid fragments encoding homologous genes from DNA or RNA. The polymerase chain reaction may also be performed on a library of cloned nucleic acid fragments wherein the sequence of one primer is derived from the instant nucleic acid fragments, and the sequence of the other primer takes advantage of the presence of the polyadenylic acid tracts to the 3′ end of the mRNA precursor encoding plant genes. Alternatively, the second primer sequence may be based upon sequences derived from the cloning vector. For example, the skilled artisan can follow the RACE protocol (Frohman et al. (1988) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 85:8998-9002) to generate cDNAs by using PCR to amplify copies of the region between a single point in the transcript and the 3′ or 5′ end. Primers oriented in the 3′ and 5′ directions can be designed from the instant sequences. Using commercially available 3′ RACE or 5′ RACE systems (BRL), specific 3′ or 5′ cDNA fragments can be isolated (Ohara et al. (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:5673-5677; Loh et al. (1989) Science 243:217-220). Products generated by the 3′ and 5′ RACE procedures can be combined to generate full-length cDNAs (Frohman and Martin (1989) Techniques 1:165). Consequently, a polynucleotide comprising a nucleotide sequence of at least one of 60 (preferably one of at least 40, most preferably one of at least 30) contiguous nucleotides derived from a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 33, 35, 37, 39, 41, 43, 45, 47, 49, 51, 53, 55, 57, 59, 61, 63, 65, 67, 69 and the complement of such nucleotide sequences may be used in such methods to obtain a nucleic acid fragment encoding a substantial portion of an amino acid sequence of a polypeptide. The present invention relates to a method of obtaining a nucleic acid fragment encoding a substantial portion of a tetrahydrofolate metabolic enzyme polypeptide of a gene (such as serine hydroxymethylase, phosphoribosylglycinamide formyltransferase, phosphoribosylaminoimidazolecarboxamide formyltransferase, formate-tetrahydrofolateligase or aminomethyltransferase) preferably a substantial portion of a plant polypeptide of a gene, comprising the steps of: synthesizing an oligonucleotide primer comprising a nucleotide sequence of at least one of 60 (preferably at least one of 40, most preferably at least one of 30) contiguous nucleotides derived from a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 33, 35, 37, 39, 41, 43, 45, 47, 49, 51, 53, 55, 57, 59, 61, 63, 65, 67, 69, and the complement of such nucleotide sequences; and amplifying a nucleic acid fragment (preferably a cDNA inserted in a cloning vector) using the oligonucleotide primer. The amplified nucleic acid fragment preferably will encode a portion of a tetrahydrofolate metabolic enzyme polypeptide such as serine hydroxymethylase, phosphoribosylglycinamide formyltransferase, phosphoribosylaminoimidazolecarboxamide formyltransferase, formate-tetrahydrofolateligase or aminomethyltransferase.

[0061] Availability of the instant nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences facilitates immunological screening of cDNA expression libraries. Synthetic peptides representing portions of the instant amino acid sequences may be synthesized. These peptides can be used to immunize animals to produce polyclonal or monoclonal antibodies with specificity for peptides or proteins comprising the amino acid sequences. These antibodies can be then be used to screen cDNA expression libraries to isolate full-length cDNA clones of interest (Lerner (1984) Adv. Immunol. 36:1-34; Maniatis).

[0062] The nucleic acid fragments of the instant invention may be used to create transgenic plants in which the disclosed polypeptides are present at higher or lower levels than normal or in cell types or developmental stages in which they are not normally found. This would have the effect of altering the level of tetrahydrofolate in those cells. Because these enzymes are involved in tetrahydrofolate metabolism, amino acid synthesis, fatty acid biosynthesis and de novo synthesis of purines, inhibition of their activity may be lethal, thus suggesting that they would be attractive herbicide targets. Production of these plant enzymes in bacteria for use in a high throughput screen for chemical inhibitors would be desirable. Alternatively, overproduction of these enzymes in transgenic plants could be used to enhance the production of many secondary metabolites, amino acids, purine nucleic acids and vitamins. Accordingly, the availability of nucleic acid sequences encoding all or a portion of an enzyme involved in tetrahydrofolate metabolism would facilitate studies to better understand tetrahydrofolate metabolism in plants and provide genetic tools to enhance the production of secondary metabolites, amino acids and vitamins. These enzymes may also provide targets to facilitate design and/or identification of inhibitors of tetrahydrofolate metabolism that may be useful as herbicides.

[0063] Overexpression of the proteins of the instant invention may be accomplished by first constructing a chimeric gene in which the coding region is operably linked to a promoter capable of directing expression of a gene in the desired tissues at the desired stage of development. The chimeric gene may comprise promoter sequences and translation leader sequences derived from the same genes. 3′ Non-coding sequences encoding transcription termination signals may also be provided. The instant chimeric gene may also comprise one or more introns in order to facilitate gene expression.

[0064] Plasmid vectors comprising the isolated polynucleotide (or chimeric gene) may be constructed. The choice of plasmid vector is dependent upon the method that will be used to transform host plants. The skilled artisan is well aware of the genetic elements that must be present on the plasmid vector in order to successfully transform, select and propagate host cells containing the chimeric gene. The skilled artisan will also recognize that different independent transformation events will result in different levels and patterns of expression (Jones et al. (1985) EMBO J. 4:2411-2418; De Almeida et al. (1989) Mol. Gen. Genetics 218:78-86), and thus that multiple events must be screened in order to obtain lines displaying the desired expression level and pattern. Such screening may be accomplished by Southern analysis of DNA, Northern analysis of mRNA expression, Western analysis of protein expression, or phenotypic analysis.

[0065] For some applications it may be useful to direct the instant polypeptides to different cellular compartments, or to facilitate their secretion from the cell. It is thus envisioned that the chimeric gene described above may be further supplemented by directing the coding sequence to encode the instant polypeptides with appropriate intracellular targeting sequences such as transit sequences (Keegstra (1989) Cell 56:247-253), signal sequences or sequences encoding endoplasmic reticulum localization (Chrispeels (1991) Ann. Rev. Plant Phys. Plant Mol. Biol. 42:21-53), or nuclear localization signals (Raikhel (1992) Plant Phys. 100:1627-1632) with or without removing targeting sequences that are already present. While the references cited give examples of each of these, the list is not exhaustive and more targeting signals of use may be discovered in the future.

[0066] It may also be desirable to reduce or eliminate expression of genes encoding the instant polypeptides in plants for some applications. In order to accomplish this, a chimeric gene designed for co-suppression of the instant polypeptide can be constructed by linking a gene or gene fragment encoding that polypeptide to plant promoter sequences. Alternatively, a chimeric gene designed to express antisense RNA for all or part of the instant nucleic acid fragment can be constructed by linking the gene or gene fragment in reverse orientation to plant promoter sequences. Either the co-suppression or antisense chimeric genes could be introduced into plants via transformation wherein expression of the corresponding endogenous genes are reduced or eliminated.

[0067] Molecular genetic solutions to the generation of plants with altered gene expression have a decided advantage over more traditional plant breeding approaches. Changes in plant phenotypes can be produced by specifically inhibiting expression of one or more genes by antisense inhibition or cosuppression (U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,190,931, 5,107,065 and 5,283,323). An antisense or cosuppression construct would act as a dominant negative regulator of gene activity. While conventional mutations can yield negative regulation of gene activity these effects are most likely recessive. The dominant negative regulation available with a transgenic approach may be advantageous from a breeding perspective. In addition, the ability to restrict the expression of specific phenotype to the reproductive tissues of the plant by the use of tissue specific promoters may confer agronomic advantages relative to conventional mutations which may have an effect in all tissues in which a mutant gene is ordinarily expressed.

[0068] The person skilled in the art will know that special considerations are associated with the use of antisense or cosuppression technologies in order to reduce expression of particular genes. For example, the proper level of expression of sense or antisense genes may require the use of different chimeric genes utilizing different regulatory elements known to the skilled artisan. Once transgenic plants are obtained by one of the methods described above, it will be necessary to screen individual transgenics for those that most effectively display the desired phenotype. Accordingly, the skilled artisan will develop methods for screening large numbers of transformants. The nature of these screens will generally be chosen on practical grounds. For example, one can screen by looking for changes in gene expression by using antibodies specific for the protein encoded by the gene being suppressed, or one could establish assays that specifically measure enzyme activity. A preferred method will be one which allows large numbers of samples to be processed rapidly, since it will be expected that a large number of transformants will be negative for the desired phenotype.

[0069] The instant polypeptides (or portions thereof) may be produced in heterologous host cells, particularly in the cells of microbial hosts, and can be used to prepare antibodies to the these proteins by methods well known to those skilled in the art. The antibodies are useful for detecting the polypeptides of the instant invention in situ in cells or in vitro in cell extracts. Preferred heterologous host cells for production of the instant polypeptides are microbial hosts. Microbial expression systems and expression vectors containing regulatory sequences that direct high level expression of foreign proteins are well known to those skilled in the art. Any of these could be used to construct a chimeric gene for production of the instant polypeptides. This chimeric gene could then be introduced into appropriate microorganisms via transformation to provide high level expression of the encoded tetrahydrofolate metabolic enzyme. An example of a vector for high level expression of the instant polypeptides in a bacterial host is provided (Example 10).

[0070] Additionally, the instant polypeptides can be used as targets to facilitate design and/or identification of inhibitors of those enzymes that may be useful as herbicides. This is desirable because the polypeptides described herein catalyze various steps in tetrahydrofolate metabolism. Accordingly, inhibition of the activity of one or more of the enzymes described herein could lead to inhibition of plant growth. Thus, the instant polypeptides could be appropriate for new herbicide discovery and design.

[0071] All or a substantial portion of the nucleic acid fragments of the instant invention may also be used as probes for genetically and physically mapping the genes that they are a part of, and as markers for traits linked to those genes. Such information may be useful in plant breeding in order to develop lines with desired phenotypes. For example, the instant nucleic acid fragments may be used as restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) markers. Southern blots (Maniatis) of restriction-digested plant genomic DNA may be probed with the nucleic acid fragments of the instant invention. The resulting banding patterns may then be subjected to genetic analyses using computer programs such as MapMaker (Lander et al. (1987) Genomics 1:174-181) in order to construct a genetic map. In addition, the nucleic acid fragments of the instant invention may be used to probe Southern blots containing restriction endonuclease-treated genomic DNAs of a set of individuals representing parent and progeny of a defined genetic cross. Segregation of the DNA polymorphisms is noted and used to calculate the position of the instant nucleic acid sequence in the genetic map previously obtained using this population (Botstein et al. (1980) Am. J. Hum. Genet. 32:314-331).

[0072] The production and use of plant gene-derived probes for use in genetic mapping is described in Bernatzky and Tanksley (1986) Plant Mol. Biol. Reporter 4:37-41. Numerous publications describe genetic mapping of specific cDNA clones using the methodology outlined above or variations thereof. For example, F2 intercross populations, backcross populations, randomly mated populations, near isogenic lines, and other sets of individuals may be used for mapping. Such methodologies are well known to those skilled in the art.

[0073] Nucleic acid probes derived from the instant nucleic acid sequences may also be used for physical mapping (i.e., placement of sequences on physical maps; see Hoheisel et al. In: Nonmammalian Genomic Analysis: A Practical Guide, Academic press 1996, pp. 319-346, and references cited therein).

[0074] In another embodiment, nucleic acid probes derived from the instant nucleic acid sequences may be used in direct fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) mapping (Trask (1991) Trends Genet. 7:149-154). Although current methods of FISH mapping favor use of large clones (several to several hundred KB; see Laan et al. (1995) Genome Res. 5:13-20), improvements in sensitivity may allow performance of FISH mapping using shorter probes.

[0075] A variety of nucleic acid amplification-based methods of genetic and physical mapping may be carried out using the instant nucleic acid sequences. Examples include allele-specific amplification (Kazazian (1989) J. Lab. Clin. Med. 11:95-96), polymorphism of PCR-amplified fragments (CAPS; Sheffield et al. (1993) Genomics 16:325-332), allele-specific ligation (Landegren et al. (1988) Science 241:1077-1080), nucleotide extension reactions (Sokolov (1990) Nucleic Acid Res. 18:3671), Radiation Hybrid Mapping (Walter et al. (1997) Nat. Genet. 7:22-28) and Happy Mapping (Dear and Cook (1989) Nucleic Acid Res. 17:6795-6807). For these methods, the sequence of a nucleic acid fragment is used to design and produce primer pairs for use in the amplification reaction or in primer extension reactions. The design of such primers is well known to those skilled in the art. In methods employing PCR-based genetic mapping, it may be necessary to identify DNA sequence differences between the parents of the mapping cross in the region corresponding to the instant nucleic acid sequence. This, however, is generally not necessary for mapping methods.

[0076] Loss of function mutant phenotypes may be identified for the instant cDNA clones either by targeted gene disruption protocols or by identifying specific mutants for these genes contained in a maize population carrying mutations in all possible genes (Ballinger and Benzer (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci USA 86:9402-9406; Koes et al. (1995) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci USA 92:8149-8153; Bensen et al. (1995) Plant Cell 7:75-84). The latter approach may be accomplished in two ways. First, short segments of the instant nucleic acid fragments may be used in polymerase chain reaction protocols in conjunction with a mutation tag sequence primer on DNAs prepared from a population of plants in which Mutator transposons or some other mutation-causing DNA element has been introduced (see Bensen, supra). The amplification of a specific DNA fragment with these primers indicates the insertion of the mutation tag element in or near the plant gene encoding the instant polypeptides. Alternatively, the instant nucleic acid fragment may be used as a hybridization probe against PCR amplification products generated from the mutation population using the mutation tag sequence primer in conjunction with an arbitrary genomic site primer, such as that for a restriction enzyme site-anchored synthetic adaptor. With either method, a plant containing a mutation in the endogenous gene encoding the instant polypeptides can be identified and obtained. This mutant plant can then be used to determine or confirm the natural function of the instant polypeptides disclosed herein.

EXAMPLES

[0077] The present invention is further defined in the following Examples, in which all parts and percentages are by weight and degrees are Celsius, unless otherwise stated. It should be understood that these Examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only. From the above discussion and these Examples, one skilled in the art can ascertain the essential characteristics of this invention, and without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, can make various changes and modifications of the invention to adapt it to various usages and conditions.

Example 1 Composition of cDNA Libraries; Isolation and Sequencing of cDNA Clones

[0078] cDNA libraries representing mRNAs from various corn, rice, soybean, and wheat tissues were prepared. The characteristics of the libraries are described below. TABLE 2 cDNA Libraries from Corn, Rice, Soybean, and Wheat Library Tissue Clone cco1n Corn Cob of 67 Day Old Plants cco1n.pk058.k22 Grown in Green House* cr1 Corn Root From 7 Day Old cr1.pk0010.b5 Seedlings cr1n Corn Root From 7 Day Old cr1n.pk0160.h1 Seedlings* csc1c Corn 20-Day Seedling csc1c.pk005.n13 (Germination Cold Stress). The Seedling Appeared Purple ctn1c Corn Tassel, Night Harvested ctn1c.pk001.d9 p0030 Corn Endosperm 15 Days After p0030.cdbag33r Pollination p0037 Corn V5 Stage** Roots p0037.crwaf77r Infested With Corn Root Worm p0116 DAM Methylase-Induced p0116.cesar94r Transgenic BMS Suspension Cells* p0125 Corn Anther Prophase I* p0125.czaac39r rca1n Rice Callus* rca1n.pk004.e20 rl0n Rice 15 Day Old Leaf* rl0n.pk081.c17 rl0n Rice 15 Day Old Leaf* rl0n.pk085.h13 rlr2 Rice Leaf 15 Days After rlr2.pk0017.b2 Germination, 2 Hours After Infection of Strain Magaporthe grisea 4360-R-62 (AVR2-YAMO); Resistant rlr6 Rice Leaf 15 Days After rlr6.pk0094.f10 Germination, 6 Hours After Infection of Strain Magapo the grisea 4360-R-62 (AVR2-YAMO); Resistant rlr72 Rice Leaf 15 Days After rlr72.pk0003.e3 Germination, 72 Hours After Infection of Strain Magaporthe grisea 4360-R-62 (AVR2-YAMO); Resistant ses9c Soybean Embryogenic Suspension ses9c.pk001.p2 sfl1 Soybean Immature Flower sfl1.pk125.g5 sgc4c Soybean Cotyledon 14-21 sgs4c.pk005.p8 Days After Germination (1/4 yellow) srn1c Soybean Developing Root srn1c.pk002.j23 Nodules wl1n Wheat Leaf From 7 Day Old wl1n.pk0105.h9 Seedling* wlk8 Wheat Seedlings 8 Hours After wlk8.pk0011.e10 Treatment With KQ926** wlm96 Wheat Seedlings 96 Hours After wlm96.pk044.f15 Inoculation With Erysiphe graminis f. sp tritici wlmk1 Wheat Seedlings 1 Hour After wlmk1.pk0034.f9 Inoculation With Erysiphe graminis f. sp tritici and Treatment With Herbicide** KQ926 wlmk8 Wheat Seedlings 8 Hours After wlmk8.pk0015.h6 Inoculation With Erysiphe graminis f. sp tritici and Treatment With Herbicide** KQ926 wre1n Wheat Root From 7 Day Old wre1n.pkl74.a10 Etiolated Seedling*

[0079] cDNA libraries may be prepared by any one of many methods available. For example, the cDNAs may be introduced into plasmid vectors by first preparing the cDNA libraries in Uni-ZAP™ XR vectors according to the manufacturer's protocol (Stratagene Cloning Systems, La Jolla, Calif.). The Uni-ZAP™ XR libraries are converted into plasmid libraries according to the protocol provided by Stratagene. Upon conversion, cDNA inserts will be contained in the plasmid vector pBluescript. In addition, the cDNAs may be introduced directly into precut Bluescript II SK(+) vectors (Stratagene) using T4 DNA ligase (New England Biolabs), followed by transfection into DH10B cells according to the manufacturer's protocol (GIBCO BRL Products). Once the cDNA inserts are in plasmid vectors, plasmid DNAs are prepared from randomly picked bacterial colonies containing recombinant pBluescript plasmids, or the insert cDNA sequences are amplified via polymerase chain reaction using primers specific for vector sequences flanking the inserted cDNA sequences. Amplified insert DNAs or plasmid DNAs are sequenced in dye-primer sequencing reactions to generate partial cDNA sequences (expressed sequence tags or “ESTs”; see Adams et al., (1991) Science 252:1651-1656). The resulting ESTs are analyzed using a Perkin Elmer Model 377 fluorescent sequencer.

Example 2 Identification of cDNA Clones

[0080] cDNA clones encoding tetrahydrofolate metabolic enzymes were identified by conducting BLAST (Basic Local Alignment Search Tool; Altschul et al. (1993) J. Mol. Biol. 215:403-410; see also www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/BLAST/) searches for similarity to sequences contained in the BLAST “nr” database (comprising all non-redundant GenBank CDS translations, sequences derived from the 3-dimensional structure Brookhaven Protein Data Bank, the last major release of the SWISS-PROT protein sequence database, EMBL, and DDBJ databases). The cDNA sequences obtained in Example 1 were analyzed for similarity to all publicly available DNA sequences contained in the “nr” database using the BLASTN algorithm provided by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). The DNA sequences were translated in all reading frames and compared for similarity to all publicly available protein sequences contained in the “nr” database using the BLASTX algorithm (Gish and States (1993) Nat. Genet. 3:266-272) provided by the NCBI. For convenience, the P-value (probability) of observing a match of a cDNA sequence to a sequence contained in the searched databases merely by chance as calculated by BLAST are reported herein as “pLog” values, which represent the negative of the logarithm of the reported P-value. Accordingly, the greater the pLog value, the greater the likelihood that the cDNA sequence and the BLAST “hit” represent homologous proteins.

Example 3 Characterization of cDNA Clones Encoding Serine Hydroxymethylase

[0081] The BLASTX search using the nucleotide sequences from clones listed in Table 3 revealed similarity of the polypeptides encoded by the cDNAs to serine hydroxymethylases from Solanum tuberosum (NCBI General Identifier No. 1707998) or Pisum sativum (NCBI General Identifier No. 462187), or to the polypeptide encoded by the contig to serine hydroxymethylase from Flaveria pringlei (NCBI General Identifier No. 1346155). Shown in Table 3 are the BLAST results for individual ESTs (“EST”), or the sequences contigs assembled from two ESTs (“Contig”): TABLE 3 BLAST Results for Sequences Encoding Polypeptides Homologous to Serine Hydroxymethylase NCBI General BLAST pLog Clone Status Identifier No. Score cr1n.pk0160.h1 EST 1707998 111.00 rlr72.pk0003.e3 EST 1707998 61.15 sfl1.pk125.g5 EST 462187 85.70 Contig of: Contig 1346155 98.70 wlk8.pk0011.e10 wlm96.pk044.f15

[0082] The sequence of the entire cDNA insert in clones rlr72.pk0003.e3, sfl1.pk125.g5, and wlk8.pk0011.e10 was determined. The bacteria containing clone cr1n.pk0160.h1 did not grow, so another corn clone encoding serine hydroxymethylase was found in the DuPont proprietary database. The BLASTX search using the EST sequences from clone p0116.cesar94r and the BLASTP search using the amino acid sequences from clones rlr72.pk0003.e3:fis, sfl1.pk125.g5:fis, and wlk8.pk0011.e10:fis revealed similarity of the polypeptides encoded by the cDNAs to serine hydroxymethylases from Solanum tuberosum (NCBI General Identifier No. 1707998) or Pisum sativum (NCBI General Identifier No. 462187), or to the polypeptide encoded by the contig to serine hydroxymethylase from Flaveria pringlei (NCBI General Identifier No. 1346155). Shown in Table 4 are the BLAST results for individual ESTs (“EST”), amino acid sequence encoded by the sequences of the entire cDNA inserts comprising the indicated cDNA clones (“FIS”), or the amino acid sequence encoded by the FIS and corresponding to an entire protein (“CGS”): TABLE 4 BLAST Results for Sequences Encoding Polypeptides Homologous to Serine Hydroxymethylase NCBI General BLAST pLog Clone Status Identifier No. Score p0116.cesar94r EST 1707998 43.52 rlr72.pk0003.e3:fis CGS 1707998 >254.00 sfl1.pk125.g5:fis FIS 462187 >254.00 wlk8.pk0011.e10:fis CGS 1346155 >254.00

[0083] The data in Table 5 represents a calculation of the percent identity of the amino acid sequences set forth in SEQ ID NOs:2, 4, 6, 8, 34, 36, 38, and 40 and the Solanum tuberosum and Pisum sativum sequences (NCBI General Identifier No. 1707998 and 462187, respectively). TABLE 5 Percent Identity of Amino Acid Sequences Deduced From the Nucleotide Sequences of cDNA Clones Encoding Polypeptides Homologous to Serine Hydroxymethylase Percent Identity to SEQ ID NO. 1707998 462187 2 89.4 85.6 4 91.5 86.8 6 88.2 87.4 8 90.2 90.2 34 57.9 54.1 36 87.9 84.8 38 84.1 85.4 40 84.5 85.1

[0084] Sequence alignments and percent identity calculations were performed using the Megalign program of the LASERGENE bioinformatics computing suite (DNASTAR Inc., Madison, Wis.). Multiple alignment of the sequences was performed using the Clustal method of alignment (Higgins and Sharp (1989) CABIOS. 5:151-153) with the default parameters (GAP PENALTY=10, GAP LENGTH PENALTY=10). Default parameters for pairwise alignments using the Clustal method were KTUPLE 1, GAP PENALTY=3, WINDOW=5 and DIAGONALS SAVED=5. Sequence alignments and BLAST scores and probabilities indicate that the nucleic acid fragments comprising the instant cDNA clones encode substantial portions of corn, rice, soybean, and wheat, an almost entire soybean, an entire rice, and an entire wheat serine hydroxymethylase. These sequences represent the first corn, rice, soybean, and, wheat sequences encoding serine hydroxymethylase.

Example 4 Characterization of cDNA Clones Encoding Phosphoribosylglycinamide Formyltransferase

[0085] The BLASTX search using the EST sequences from clones listed in Table 6 revealed similarity of the polypeptides encoded by the cDNAs to phosphoribosylglycinamide formyltransferase from Vigna unguiculata or Arabidopsis thaliana (NCBI General Identifier Nos. 1709923 and 1709922, respectively). Shown in Table 6 are the BLAST results for individual ESTs (“EST”): TABLE 6 BLAST Results for Sequences Encoding Polypeptides Homologous to Phosphoribosylglycinamide Formyltransferase NCBI General BLAST pLog Clone Status Identifier No. Score cco1n.pk058.k22 EST 1709923 40.40 wre1n.pk174.a10 Contig 1709922 27.00

[0086] The sequence of the entire cDNA insert in the clones mentioned above was determined and further sequencing and searching of the DuPont proprietary database allowed the identification of a rice clone which encodes a protein with similarities to phosphoribosylglycinamide formyltransferase. The BLAST search using the sequences from clones listed in Table 7 revealed similarity of the polypeptides encoded by the cDNAs to phosphoribosylglycinamide formyltransferase from Vigna unguiculata (NCBI General Identifier Nos. 1709923) or the polypeptides encoded by the contig to phosphoribosylglycinamide formyltransferase from Arabidopsis thaliana (NCBI General Identifier No. 2245095). Shown in Table 7 are the BLAST results for individual ESTs (“EST”), or for the sequences of the entire cDNA inserts comprising the indicated cDNA clones (“FIS”): TABLE 7 BLAST Results for Sequences Encoding Polypeptides Homologous to Phosphoribosylglycinamide Formyltransferase NCBI General BLAST pLog Clone Status Identifier No. Score cco1n.pk058.k22:fis FIS 1709923 54.70 rca1n.pk004.e20 EST 2245095 57.40 wre1n.pk174.a10:fis  FIS* 1709923 87.52

[0087] The data in Table 8 represents a calculation of the percent identity of the amino acid sequences set forth in SEQ ID NOs:10, 12, 42, 44, and 46 and the Vigna unguiculata sequence (NCBI General Identifier Nos. 1709923). TABLE 8 Percent Identity of Amino Acid Sequences Deduced From the Nucleotide Sequences of cDNA Clones Encoding Polypeptides Homologous to Phosphoribosylglycinamide Formyltransferase Percent Identity to SEQ ID NO. 1709923 10 78.6 12 57.9 42 75.9 44 24.2 46 70.8

[0088] Sequence alignments and percent identity calculations were performed using the Megalign program of the LASERGENE bioinformatics computing suite (DNASTAR Inc., Madison, Wis.). Multiple alignment of the sequences was performed using the Clustal method of alignment (Higgins and Sharp (1989) CABIOS. 5:151-153) with the default parameters (GAP PENALTY=10, GAP LENGTH PENALTY=10). Default parameters for pairwise alignments using the Clustal method were KTUPLE 1, GAP PENALTY=3, WINDOW=5 and DIAGONALS SAVED=5. Sequence alignments and BLAST scores and probabilities indicate that the nucleic acid fragments comprising the instant cDNA clones encode a substantial portions of corn, rice, and wheat phosphoribosylglycinamide formyltransferase. These sequences represent the first corn, rice, and wheat sequences encoding phosphoribosylglycinamide formyltransferase.

Example 5 Characterization of cDNA Clones Encoding Phosphoribosylaminoimidazolecarboxamide Formyltransferase

[0089] The BLASTX search using the EST sequences from clones listed in Table 9 revealed similarity of the polypeptides encoded by the cDNAs to phosphoribosylaminoimidazolecarboxamide formyltransferase from Bacillus cereus or Haemophilus influenzae (NCBI General Identifier No. 2072373 and 1172763, respectively). Shown in Table 9 are the BLAST results for individual ESTs (“EST”): TABLE 9 BLAST Results for Sequences Encoding Polypeptides Homologous to Phosphoribosylaminoimidazolecarboxamide Formyltransferase NCBI General BLAST pLog Clone Status Identifier No. Score rl0n.pk081.c17 EST 2072373 19.15 wlmk8.pk0015.h6 EST 1172763 25.30

[0090] The sequence of the entire cDNA insert in the clones mentioned above was determined and further sequencing of the DuPont proprietary database allowed the identification of corn and soybean clones encoding proteins with similarities to phosphoribosylaminoimidazolecarboxamide formyltransferase. The BLAST search using the sequences from clones listed in Table 10 revealed similarity of the polypeptides encoded by the contig to phosphoribosylaminoimidazole-carboxamide formyltransferase from Arabidopsis thaliana (NCBI General Identifier No. 3033398) and to the cDNAs to phosphoribosylaminoimidazole-carboxamide formyltransferase from Bacillus subtilis (NCBI General Identifier No. 131638). Shown in Table 10 are the BLAST results for individual ESTs (“EST”), or the sequences of the entire cDNA inserts comprising the indicated cDNA clones (“FIS”): TABLE 10 BLAST Results for Sequences Encoding Polypeptides Homologous to Phosphoribosylaminoimidazolecarboxamide Formyltransferase BLAST pLog Score Clone Status 3033398 131638 p0037.crwaf77r EST 73.00 45.30 rl0n.pk081.c17:fis FIS >254.00 92.10 srn1c.pk002.j23 EST 39.70 17.70 wlmk8.pk0015.h6:fis FIS 133.00 57.04

[0091] The data in Table 11 represents a calculation of the percent identity of the amino acid sequences set forth in SEQ ID NOs:14, 16, 48, 50, 52, and 54 and the Arabidopsis thaliana and Bacillus subtilis sequences (NCBI General Identifier Nos. 3033398 and 131638, respectively). TABLE 11 Percent Identity of Amino Acid Sequences Deduced From the Nucleotide Sequences of cDNA Clones Encoding Polypeptides Homologous to Phosphoribosylaminoimidazolecarboxamide Formyltransferase Percent Identity to SEQ ID NO. 3033398 131638 14 75.5 43.6 16 90.0 47.1 48 41.8 29.9 50 78.1 37.1 52 88.3 53.2 54 80.3 35.2

[0092] Sequence alignments and percent identity calculations were performed using the Megalign program of the LASERGENE bioinformatics computing suite (DNASTAR Inc., Madison, Wis.). Multiple alignment of the sequences was performed using the Clustal method of alignment (Higgins and Sharp (1989) CABIOS. 5:151-153) with the default parameters (GAP PENALTY=10, GAP LENGTH PENALTY=10). Default parameters for pairwise alignments using the Clustal method were KTUPLE 1, GAP PENALTY=3, WINDOW=5 and DIAGONALS SAVED=5. Sequence alignments and BLAST scores and probabilities indicate that the nucleic acid fragments comprising the instant cDNA clones encode a substantial portion of corn, rice, soybean, and wheat phosphoribosylaminoimidazole-carboxamide formyltransferase. These sequences represent the first corn, rice, soybean, and wheat sequences encoding phosphoribosylaminoimidazole-carboxamide formyltransferase.

Example 6 Characterization of cDNA Clones Encoding Formate—Tetrahydrofolate Ligase

[0093] The BLASTX search using the EST sequences from clones listed in Table 12 revealed similarity of the polypeptides encoded by the cDNAs to formate-tetrahydrofolate ligase from Spinacia oleracea (NCBI General Identifier No. 2507455). Shown in Table 12 are the BLAST results for individual ESTs (“EST”): TABLE 12 BLAST Results for Sequences Encoding Polypeptides Homologous to Formate-Tetrahydrofolate Ligase BLAST pLog Score Clone Status 2507455 cr1.pk0010.b5 EST 50.15 rl0n.pk085.h13 EST 45.00 ses9c.pk001.p2 EST 75.00 wlmk1.pk0034.f9 EST 57.40

[0094] The sequence of the entire cDNA insert in the clones listed above was determined. Because the corn clone encodes only a small portion of the C-terminus of the enzyme, the DuPont proprietary database was searched and other clones found to construct a contig which codes for a larger portion of the protein. The BLAST search using the sequences from clones listed in Table 13 revealed similarity of the polypeptides encoded by the cDNAs to formate-tetrahydrofolate ligase from Arabidopsis thaliana and Spinacia oleracea (NCBI General Identifier Nos. 5921663 and 2507455, respectively). Shown in Table 13 are the BLAST results for the sequences of the entire cDNA inserts comprising the indicated cDNA clones (“FIS”), or a contig assembled from an FIS and two ESTs (“Contig*”): TABLE 13 BLAST Results for Sequences Encoding Polypeptides Homologous to Formate-Tetrahydrofolate Ligase BLAST pLog Score Clone Status 5921663 2507455 Contig of: Contig* 133.00 145.00 cr1.pk0010.b5:fis p0030.cdbag33r p0125.czaac39r rl0n.pk085.h13:fis FIS 113.00 111.00 ses9c.pk001.p2:fis CGS >254.00 >254.00 wlmk1.pk0034.f9:fis FIS 129.00 127.00

[0095] The data in Table 14 represents a calculation of the percent identity of the amino acid sequences set forth in SEQ ID NOs:18, 20, 22, 24, 56, 58, 60, and 62 and the Arabidopsis thaliana and Spinacia oleracea sequences (NCBI General Identifier Nos. 5921663 and 2507455, respectively). TABLE 14 Percent Identity of Amino Acid Sequences Deduced From the Nucleotide Sequences of cDNA Clones Encoding Polypeptides Homologous to Formate-Tetrahydrofolate Ligase Percent Identity to SEQ ID NO. 5921663 2507455 18 63.9 68.9 20 79.8 77.7 22 86.6 86.6 24 82.7 80.8 56 81.5 82.2 58 80.8 79.1 60 87.3 89.6 62 83.2 81.7

[0096] Sequence alignments and percent identity calculations were performed using the Megalign program of the LASERGENE bioinformatics computing suite (DNASTAR Inc., Madison, Wis.). Multiple alignment of the sequences was performed using the Clustal method of alignment (Higgins and Sharp (1989) CABIOS. 5:151-153) with the default parameters (GAP PENALTY=10, GAP LENGTH PENALTY=10). Default parameters for pairwise alignments using the Clustal method were KTUPLE 1, GAP PENALTY=3, WINDOW=5 and DIAGONALS SAVED=5. Sequence alignments and BLAST scores and probabilities indicate that the nucleic acid fragments comprising the instant cDNA clones encode substantial portions of a corn, a rice, a soybean, and a wheat and an entire soybean formate-tetrahydrofolate ligase. These sequences represent the first soybean and monocot sequences encoding formate-tetrahydrofolate ligase.

Example 7 Characterization of cDNA Clones Encoding Aminomethyltransferase

[0097] The BLASTX search using the EST sequences from clones listed in Table 15 revealed similarity of the polypeptides encoded by the cDNAs to aminomethyltransferase from Flaveria anomala, Pisum sativum, or Solanum tuberosum (NCBI General Identifier Nos. 3334197, 1346123, and 1707878, respectively). Shown in Table 15 are the BLAST results for individual ESTs (“EST”): TABLE 15 BLAST Results for Sequences Encoding Polypeptides Homologous to Aminomethyltransferase NCBI General BLAST pLog Clone Status Identifier No. Score ctn1c.pk001.d9 EST 3334197 42.00 rlr2.pk0017.b2 EST 1346123 47.00 sgs4c.pk005.p8 EST 1707878 79.05 wl1n.pk0105.h9 EST 1346123 44.70

[0098] The sequence of the entire cDNA insert in clones sgs4c.pk005.p8 and wl1n.pk0105.h9 was determined. Different corn and rice clones were identified in the DuPont proprietary database since it was impossible to determine the sequence of the entire cDNA insert in clones ctn1c.pk001.d9 and rlr2.pk0017.b2. The BLAST search using the sequences from clones listed in Table 16 revealed similarity of the polypeptides encoded by the cDNAs to aminomethyltransferase from Flaveria pringlei, Pisum sativum, and Mesembryanthemum crystallinum (NCBI General Identifier Nos. 1346121, 3915699, and 3334202, respectively) and the contig to aminomethyltransferase from Mesembryanthemum crystallinum (NCBI General Identifier No. 3157944). Shown in Table 16 are the BLAST results for individual ESTs (“EST”), or for the sequences of the entire cDNA inserts comprising the indicated cDNA clones and encoding the entire protein (“CGS”): TABLE 16 BLAST Results for Sequences Encoding Polypeptides Homologous to Aminomethyltransferase BLAST pLog Score Clone Status 1346121 3915699 3334202 3157944 csc1c.pk005.n13 EST 32.00 32.52 34.00 34.40 r1r6.pk0094.f10 EST 34.70 35.00 35.15 35.70 sgs4c.pk005.p8:fis CGS >254.00 >254.00 >254.00 >254.00 wl1n.pk0105.h9:fis CGS >254.00 >254.00 >254.00 >254.00

[0099] The data in Table 17 represents a calculation of the percent identity of the amino acid sequences set forth in SEQ ID NOs:26, 28, 30, 32, 64, 66, 68, and 70 and the Flaveria pringlei, Pisum sativum, and Mesembryanthemum crystallinum sequence (NCBI General Identifier Nos. 1346121, 3915699, and 3334202, respectively). TABLE 17 Percent Identity of Amino Acid Sequences Deduced From the Nucleotide Sequences of cDNA Clones Encoding Polypeptides Homologous to Aminomethyltransferase Percent Identity to SEQ ID NO. 1346121 3915699 3334202 26 83.1 86.2 87.7 28 70.1 72.9 70.1 30 80.3 78.9 76.8 32 76.7 78.9 78.9 64 58.1 59.0 62.9 66 41.5 44.7 42.8 68 88.0 92.6 85.5 70 78.6 76.3 75.3

[0100] Sequence alignments and percent identity calculations were performed using the Megalign program of the LASERGENE bioinformatics computing suite (DNASTAR Inc., Madison, Wis.). Multiple alignment of the sequences was performed using the Clustal method of alignment (Higgins and Sharp (1989) CABIOS. 5:151-153) with the default parameters (GAP PENALTY=10, GAP LENGTH PENALTY=10). Default parameters for pairwise alignments using the Clustal method were KTUPLE 1, GAP PENALTY=3, WINDOW=5 and DIAGONALS SAVED=5. Sequence alignments and BLAST scores and probabilities indicate that the nucleic acid fragments comprising the instant cDNA clones encode substantial portions of corn, rice, soybean, and wheat and entire soybean and wheat aminomethyltransferase. These sequences represent the first corn, rice, soybean, and wheat sequences encoding aminomethyltransferase.

Example 8 Expression of Chimeric Genes in Monocot Cells

[0101] A chimeric gene comprising a cDNA encoding the instant polypeptides in sense orientation with respect to the maize 27 kD zein promoter that is located 5′ to the cDNA fragment, and the 10 kD zein 3′ end that is located 3′ to the cDNA fragment, can be constructed. The cDNA fragment of this gene may be generated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of the cDNA clone using appropriate oligonucleotide primers. Cloning sites (NcoI or SmaI) can be incorporated into the oligonucleotides to provide proper orientation of the DNA fragment when inserted into the digested vector pML103 as described below. Amplification is then performed in a standard PCR. The amplified DNA is then digested with restriction enzymes NcoI and SmaI and fractionated on an agarose gel. The appropriate band can be isolated from the gel and combined with a 4.9 kb NcoI-SmaI fragment of the plasmid pML103. Plasmid pML103 has been deposited under the terms of the Budapest Treaty at ATCC (American Type Culture Collection, 10801 University Blvd., Manassas, Va. 20110-2209), and bears accession number ATCC 97366. The DNA segment from pML103 contains a 1.05 kb SalI-NcoI promoter fragment of the maize 27 kD zein gene and a 0.96 kb SmaI-SalI fragment from the 3′ end of the maize 10 kD zein gene in the vector pGem9Zf(+) (Promega). Vector and insert DNA can be ligated at 15° C. overnight, essentially as described (Maniatis). The ligated DNA may then be used to transform E. coli XL1-Blue (Epicurian Coli XL-1 Blue™; Stratagene). Bacterial transformants can be screened by restriction enzyme digestion of plasmid DNA and limited nucleotide sequence analysis using the dideoxy chain termination method (Sequenase™ DNA Sequencing Kit; U.S. Biochemical). The resulting plasmid construct would comprise a chimeric gene encoding, in the 5′ to 3′ direction, the maize 27 kD zein promoter, a cDNA fragment encoding the instant polypeptides, and the 10 kD zein 3′ region.

[0102] The chimeric gene described above can then be introduced into corn cells by the following procedure. Immature corn embryos can be dissected from developing caryopses derived from crosses of the inbred corn lines H99 and LH132. The embryos are isolated 10 to 11 days after pollination when they are 1.0 to 1.5 mm long. The embryos are then placed with the axis-side facing down and in contact with agarose-solidified N6 medium (Chu et al. (1975) Sci. Sin. Peking 18:659-668). The embryos are kept in the dark at 27° C. Friable embryogenic callus consisting of undifferentiated masses of cells with somatic proembryoids and embryoids borne on suspensor structures proliferates from the scutellum of these immature embryos. The embryogenic callus isolated from the primary explant can be cultured on N6 medium and sub-cultured on this medium every 2 to 3 weeks.

[0103] The plasmid, p35S/Ac (obtained from Dr. Peter Eckes, Hoechst Ag, Frankfurt, Germany) may be used in transformation experiments in order to provide for a selectable marker. This plasmid contains the Pat gene (see European Patent Publication 0 242 236) which encodes phosphinothricin acetyl transferase (PAT). The enzyme PAT confers resistance to herbicidal glutamine synthetase inhibitors such as phosphinothricin. The pat gene in p35S/Ac is under the control of the 35S promoter from Cauliflower Mosaic Virus (Odell et al. (1985) Nature 313:810-812) and the 3′ region of the nopaline synthase gene from the T-DNA of the Ti plasmid of Agrobacterium tumefaciens.

[0104] The particle bombardment method (Klein et al. (1987) Nature 327:70-73) may be used to transfer genes to the callus culture cells. According to this method, gold particles (1 μm in diameter) are coated with DNA using the following technique. Ten μg of plasmid DNAs are added to 50 μL of a suspension of gold particles (60 mg per mL). Calcium chloride (50 μL of a 2.5 M solution) and spermidine free base (20 μL of a 1.0 M solution) are added to the particles. The suspension is vortexed during the addition of these solutions. After 10 minutes, the tubes are briefly centrifuged (5 sec at 15,000 rpm) and the supernatant removed. The particles are resuspended in 200 μL of absolute ethanol, centrifuged again and the supernatant removed. The ethanol rinse is performed again and the particles resuspended in a final volume of 30 μL of ethanol. An aliquot (5 μL) of the DNA-coated gold particles can be placed in the center of a Kapton™ flying disc (Bio-Rad Labs). The particles are then accelerated into the corn tissue with a Biolistic™ PDS-1000/He (Bio-Rad Instruments, Hercules Calif.), using a helium pressure of 1000 psi, a gap distance of 0.5 cm and a flying distance of 1.0 cm.

[0105] For bombardment, the embryogenic tissue is placed on filter paper over agarose-solidified N6 medium. The tissue is arranged as a thin lawn and covered a circular area of about 5 cm in diameter. The petri dish containing the tissue can be placed in the chamber of the PDS-1000/He approximately 8 cm from the stopping screen. The air in the chamber is then evacuated to a vacuum of 28 inches of Hg. The macrocarrier is accelerated with a helium shock wave using a rupture membrane that bursts when the He pressure in the shock tube reaches 1000 psi.

[0106] Seven days after bombardment the tissue can be transferred to N6 medium that contains gluphosinate (2 mg per liter) and lacks casein or proline. The tissue continues to grow slowly on this medium. After an additional 2 weeks the tissue can be transferred to fresh N6 medium containing gluphosinate. After 6 weeks, areas of about 1 cm in diameter of actively growing callus can be identified on some of the plates containing the glufosinate-supplemented medium. These calli may continue to grow when sub-cultured on the selective medium.

[0107] Plants can be regenerated from the transgenic callus by first transferring clusters of tissue to N6 medium supplemented with 0.2 mg per liter of 2,4-D. After two weeks the tissue can be transferred to regeneration medium (Fromm et al. (1990) Bio/Technology 8:833-839).

Example 9 Expression of Chimeric Genes in Dicot Cells

[0108] A seed-specific expression cassette composed of the promoter and transcription terminator from the gene encoding the β subunit of the seed storage protein phaseolin from the bean Phaseolus vulgaris (Doyle et al. (1986) J. Biol. Chem. 261:9228-9238) can be used for expression of the instant polypeptides in transformed soybean. The phaseolin cassette includes about 500 nucleotides upstream (5′) from the translation initiation codon and about 1650 nucleotides downstream (3′) from the translation stop codon of phaseolin. Between the 5′ and 3′ regions are the unique restriction endonuclease sites Nco I (which includes the ATG translation initiation codon), Sma I, Kpn I and Xba I. The entire cassette is flanked by Hind III sites.

[0109] The cDNA fragment of this gene may be generated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of the cDNA clone using appropriate oligonucleotide primers. Cloning sites can be incorporated into the oligonucleotides to provide proper orientation of the DNA fragment when inserted into the expression vector. Amplification is then performed as described above, and the isolated fragment is inserted into a pUC18 vector carrying the seed expression cassette.

[0110] Soybean embryos may then be transformed with the expression vector comprising sequences encoding the instant polypeptides. To induce somatic embryos, cotyledons, 3-5 mm in length dissected from surface sterilized, immature seeds of the soybean cultivar A2872, can be cultured in the light or dark at 26° C. on an appropriate agar medium for 6-10 weeks. Somatic embryos which produce secondary embryos are then excised and placed into a suitable liquid medium. After repeated selection for clusters of somatic embryos which multiplied as early, globular staged embryos, the suspensions are maintained as described below.

[0111] Soybean embryogenic suspension cultures can maintained in 35 mL liquid media on a rotary shaker, 150 rpm, at 26° C. with florescent lights on a 16:8 hour day/night schedule. Cultures are subcultured every two weeks by inoculating approximately 35 mg of tissue into 35 mL of liquid medium.

[0112] Soybean embryogenic suspension cultures may then be transformed by the method of particle gun bombardment (Klein et al. (1987) Nature (London) 327:70-73, U.S. Pat. No. 4,945,050). A DuPont Biolistic™ PDS1000/HE instrument (helium retrofit) can be used for these transformations.

[0113] A selectable marker gene which can be used to facilitate soybean transformation is a chimeric gene composed of the 35S promoter from Cauliflower Mosaic Virus (Odell et al. (1985) Nature 313:810-812), the hygromycin phosphotransferase gene from plasmid pJR225 (from E. coli; Gritz et al.(1983) Gene 25:179-188) and the 3′ region of the nopaline synthase gene from the T-DNA of the Ti plasmid of Agrobacterium tumefaciens. The seed expression cassette comprising the phaseolin 5′ region, the fragment encoding the instant polypeptides and the phaseolin 3′ region can be isolated as a restriction fragment. This fragment can then be inserted into a unique restriction site of the vector carrying the marker gene.

[0114] To 50 μL of a 60 mg/mL 1 μm gold particle suspension is added (in order): 5 μL DNA (1 μg/μL), 20 μl spermidine (0.1 M), and 50 μL CaCl₂ (2.5 M). The particle preparation is then agitated for three minutes, spun in a microfuge for 10 seconds and the supernatant removed. The DNA-coated particles are then washed once in 400 μL 70% ethanol and resuspended in 40 μL of anhydrous ethanol. The DNA/particle suspension can be sonicated three times for one second each. Five μL of the DNA-coated gold particles are then loaded on each macro carrier disk.

[0115] Approximately 300-400 mg of a two-week-old suspension culture is placed in an empty 60×15 mm petri dish and the residual liquid removed from the tissue with a pipette. For each transformation experiment, approximately 5-10 plates of tissue are normally bombarded. Membrane rupture pressure is set at 1100 psi and the chamber is evacuated to a vacuum of 28 inches mercury. The tissue is placed approximately 3.5 inches away from the retaining screen and bombarded three times. Following bombardment, the tissue can be divided in half and placed back into liquid and cultured as described above.

[0116] Five to seven days post bombardment, the liquid media may be exchanged with fresh media, and eleven to twelve days post bombardment with fresh media containing 50 mg/mL hygromycin. This selective media can be refreshed weekly. Seven to eight weeks post bombardment, green, transformed tissue may be observed growing from untransformed, necrotic embryogenic clusters. Isolated green tissue is removed and inoculated into individual flasks to generate new, clonally propagated, transformed embryogenic suspension cultures. Each new line may be treated as an independent transformation event. These suspensions can then be subcultured and maintained as clusters of immature embryos or regenerated into whole plants by maturation and germination of individual somatic embryos.

Example 10 Expression of Chimeric Genes in Microbial Cells

[0117] The cDNAs encoding the instant polypeptides can be inserted into the T7 E. coli expression vector pBT430. This vector is a derivative of pET-3a (Rosenberg et al. (1987) Gene 56:125-135) which employs the bacteriophage T7 RNA polymerase/T7 promoter system. Plasmid pBT430 was constructed by first destroying the EcoR I and Hind III sites in pET-3a at their original positions. An oligonucleotide adaptor containing EcoR I and Hind III sites was inserted at the BamH I site of pET-3a. This created pET-3aM with additional unique cloning sites for insertion of genes into the expression vector. Then, the Nde I site at the position of translation initiation was converted to an Nco I site using oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis. The DNA sequence of pET-3aM in this region, 5′-CATATGG, was converted to 5′-CCCATGG in pBT430.

[0118] Plasmid DNA containing a cDNA may be appropriately digested to release a nucleic acid fragment encoding the protein. This fragment may then be purified on a 1% NuSieve GTG™ low melting agarose gel (FMC). Buffer and agarose contain 10 μg/ml ethidium bromide for visualization of the DNA fragment. The fragment can then be purified from the agarose gel by digestion with GELase™ (Epicentre Technologies) according to the manufacturer's instructions, ethanol precipitated, dried and resuspended in 20 μL of water. Appropriate oligonucleotide adapters may be ligated to the fragment using T4 DNA ligase (New England Biolabs, Beverly, Mass.). The fragment containing the ligated adapters can be purified from the excess adapters using low melting agarose as described above. The vector pBT430 is digested, dephosphorylated with alkaline phosphatase (NEB) and deproteinized with phenol/chloroform as described above. The prepared vector pBT430 and fragment can then be ligated at 16° C. for 15 hours followed by transformation into DH5 electrocompetent cells (GIBCO BRL). Transformants can be selected on agar plates containing LB media and 100 μg/mL ampicillin. Transformants containing the gene encoding the instant polypeptides are then screened for the correct orientation with respect to the T7 promoter by restriction enzyme analysis.

[0119] For high level expression, a plasmid clone with the cDNA insert in the correct orientation relative to the T7 promoter can be transformed into E. coli strain BL21(DE3) (Studier et al. (1986) J. Mol. Biol. 189:113-130). Cultures are grown in LB medium containing ampicillin (100 mg/L) at 25° C. At an optical density at 600 nm of approximately 1, IPTG (isopropylthio-β-galactoside, the inducer) can be added to a final concentration of 0.4 mM and incubation can be continued for 3 h at 25°. Cells are then harvested by centrifugation and re-suspended in 50 μL of 50 mM Tris-HCl at pH 8.0 containing 0.1 mM DTT and 0.2 mM phenyl methylsulfonyl fluoride. A small amount of 1 mm glass beads can be added and the mixture sonicated 3 times for about 5 seconds each time with a microprobe sonicator. The mixture is centrifuged and the protein concentration of the supernatant determined. One μg of protein from the soluble fraction of the culture can be separated by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Gels can be observed for protein bands migrating at the expected molecular weight.

Example 11 Evaluating Compounds for Their Ability to Inhibit the Activity of Tetrahydrofolate Metabolic Enzymes

[0120] The polypeptides described herein may be produced using any number of methods known to those skilled in the art. Such methods include, but are not limited to, expression in bacteria as described in Example 10, or expression in eukaryotic cell culture, in planta, and using viral expression systems in suitably infected organisms or cell lines. The instant polypeptides may be expressed either as mature forms of the proteins as observed in vivo or as fusion proteins by covalent attachment to a variety of enzymes, proteins or affinity tags. Common fusion protein partners include glutathione S-transferase (“GST”), thioredoxin (“Trx”), maltose binding protein, and C- and/or N-terminal hexahistidine polypeptide (“(His)₆”). The fusion proteins may be engineered with a protease recognition site at the fusion point so that fusion partners can be separated by protease digestion to yield intact mature enzyme. Examples of such proteases include thrombin, enterokinase and factor Xa. However, any protease can be used which specifically cleaves the peptide connecting the fusion protein and the enzyme.

[0121] Purification of the instant polypeptides, if desired, may utilize any number of separation technologies familiar to those skilled in the art of protein purification. Examples of such methods include, but are not limited to, homogenization, filtration, centrifugation, heat denaturation, ammonium sulfate precipitation, desalting, pH precipitation, ion exchange chromatography, hydrophobic interaction chromatography and affinity chromatography, wherein the affinity ligand represents a substrate, substrate analog or inhibitor. When the instant polypeptides are expressed as fusion proteins, the purification protocol may include the use of an affinity resin which is specific for the fusion protein tag attached to the expressed enzyme or an affinity resin containing ligands which are specific for the enzyme. For example, the instant polypeptides may be expressed as a fusion protein coupled to the C-terminus of thioredoxin. In addition, a (His)₆ peptide may be engineered into the N-terminus of the fused thioredoxin moiety to afford additional opportunities for affinity purification. Other suitable affinity resins could be synthesized by linking the appropriate ligands to any suitable resin such as Sepharose-4B. In an alternate embodiment, a thioredoxin fusion protein may be eluted using dithiothreitol; however, elution may be accomplished using other reagents which interact to displace the thioredoxin from the resin. These reagents include β-mercaptoethanol or other reduced thiol. The eluted fusion protein may be subjected to further purification by traditional means as stated above, if desired. Proteolytic cleavage of the thioredoxin fusion protein and the enzyme may be accomplished after the fusion protein is purified or while the protein is still bound to the ThioBond™ affinity resin or other resin.

[0122] Crude, partially purified or purified enzyme, either alone or as a fusion protein, may be utilized in assays for the evaluation of compounds for their ability to inhibit enzymatic activation of the instant polypeptides disclosed herein. Assays may be conducted under well known experimental conditions which permit optimal enzymatic activity. For example, assays for serine hydroxymethylase are presented by Bourguignon et al (1988) Biochem. J. 255:169-178. Assays for phosphoribosylglycinamide formyltransferase are presented by Schnorr et al. (1994) Plant J. 6:113-121. Assays for phosphoribosylaminoimidazolecarboxamide formyltransferase are presented by Boger et al. (1997) Bioorg. Med. Chem. 5:1839-1846. Assays for formate-tetrahydrofolateligase are presented by Nour and Rabinowitz (1991) J. Biol. Chem. 266:18363-18369. Assays for aminomethyltransferase are presented by Freudenberg and Andreesen (1989) J. Bacteriol. 171:2209-2215.

[0123] Various modifications of the invention in addition to those shown and described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing description. Such modifications are also intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims.

[0124] The disclosure of each reference set forth above is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

1 70 1 586 DNA Zea mays unsure (584) 1 gaaaagcgct gttcttttta ggccaaagtt gatcattgct ggtgcaagtg catatgctcg 60 gctatatgat tatgaccgta tgcggaagat atgcaacaag cagaaggcaa tacttctagc 120 agacatggca catattagtg ggcttgttgc agctggtgtt gttccatctc cttttgatta 180 tgcagatgta gtgactacca ctactcacaa atcactccgt gggccacgtg gagccatgat 240 cttttacagg aagggagtca aagaaataaa taaacaagga aaagaggtta tgtatgattt 300 tgaggacaaa atcaatgctg ctgtctttcc tggtctgcaa ggtgggcctc ataaccatac 360 cattactggc ttggctgttg cgctcaaaca ggcaactact ccagaataca gagcttacca 420 agagcaagtt atcagtaatt gtgctaaatt tgcgcagagc ctgatttcaa aaggatatga 480 actcgtctct ggtgggactg acaaccattt agttctggtg aatctcaaga ataaggggat 540 agatgttcaa gggtggagaa ggtttagaaa gtgtgcatat tcanca 586 2 180 PRT Zea mays 2 Lys Ser Ala Val Leu Phe Arg Pro Lys Leu Ile Ile Ala Gly Ala Ser 1 5 10 15 Ala Tyr Ala Arg Leu Tyr Asp Tyr Asp Arg Met Arg Lys Ile Cys Asn 20 25 30 Lys Gln Lys Ala Ile Leu Leu Ala Asp Met Ala His Ile Ser Gly Leu 35 40 45 Val Ala Ala Gly Val Val Pro Ser Pro Phe Asp Ala Asp Val Val Thr 50 55 60 Thr Thr Thr His Lys Ser Leu Arg Gly Pro Arg Gly Ala Met Ile Phe 65 70 75 80 Tyr Arg Lys Gly Val Lys Glu Ile Asn Lys Gln Gly Lys Glu Val Met 85 90 95 Tyr Asp Phe Glu Asp Lys Ile Asn Ala Ala Val Phe Pro Gly Leu Gln 100 105 110 Gly Gly Pro His Asn His Thr Ile Thr Gly Leu Ala Val Ala Leu Lys 115 120 125 Gln Ala Thr Thr Pro Glu Tyr Arg Ala Tyr Gln Glu Gln Val Ile Ser 130 135 140 Asn Cys Ala Lys Phe Ala Gln Ser Leu Ile Ser Lys Gly Tyr Glu Leu 145 150 155 160 Val Ser Gly Gly Thr Asp Asn His Leu Val Leu Val Asn Leu Lys Asn 165 170 175 Lys Gly Ile Asp 180 3 476 DNA Oryza sativa 3 tacacacccc cgcctccacc accacccgcc gctcgccgct cgcccaccat ggccatggcg 60 acggcgctcc gcaagctctc ctccgacgcc ctccgccgcc agccgctctc ccgcatcacc 120 ccgctctact acatggcgtc cctgccggcg acggaggaga gatccggagt cacctggccg 180 aagcagctga acgcgccgct ggaggaggtg gatcccgaga tcgccgacat catcgagcac 240 gagaaggccc gccaatggaa gggtctggag ctcatcccgt cggagaactt cacctcggtg 300 tcagtgatgc aggcggtggg atccgtcatg accaacaagt acagcgaggg gtaccccggc 360 gcgagatact acggtggaaa cgaatacatt gatatggccg agtcattgtg ccagaaacgt 420 gctttggagg cttccgcttg gaacccagcg aaatggggag tgaatgtgca actcta 476 4 106 PRT Oryza sativa 4 Glu Glu Arg Ser Gly Val Thr Trp Pro Lys Gln Leu Asn Ala Pro Leu 1 5 10 15 Glu Glu Val Asp Pro Glu Ile Ala Asp Ile Ile Glu His Glu Lys Ala 20 25 30 Arg Gln Trp Lys Gly Leu Glu Leu Ile Pro Ser Glu Asn Phe Thr Ser 35 40 45 Val Ser Val Met Gln Ala Val Gly Ser Val Met Thr Asn Lys Tyr Ser 50 55 60 Glu Gly Tyr Pro Gly Ala Arg Tyr Tyr Gly Gly Asn Glu Tyr Ile Asp 65 70 75 80 Met Ala Glu Ser Leu Cys Gln Lys Arg Ala Leu Glu Ala Ser Ala Trp 85 90 95 Asn Pro Ala Lys Trp Gly Val Asn Val Gln 100 105 5 566 DNA Glycine max unsure (451) unsure (564) 5 ggcaatggca cttggcaggc tttcatcttc cttcaacaag cctttacgtc ctctcttcaa 60 tgctggctca gtttactaca agtcctcttt gcctgctgaa gctgcgtacg acaatgagaa 120 aagctgtgat acggaattga atgctccact tgaggttgtt gatcctgaga ttgctgatat 180 aattgagctt gaaaaagcta gacaatggaa gggactggaa ctgataccct ccgagaattt 240 cacttctgtc tctgtaatgc aagctattgg ctctatcatt actaacactc ggaatgaagg 300 atatcccggt gcaagatatt atgggggaaa tgagtatatt gacatggcag aaacactatg 360 tcaaaaacgt gccttggaag catttcggtt ggatccggct aaatggggag tgaacgtgca 420 gcctctgtct gggttcttct gccaatttca ngtttacact gcattgctaa aacctcatga 480 tagaatcatg ggacttgatc taccacatgg aggcatcttt ctcatggata cagactgaca 540 caataaggat ctgcagtctc ctantt 566 6 127 PRT Glycine max UNSURE (106) 6 Glu Leu Asn Ala Pro Leu Glu Val Val Asp Pro Glu Ile Ala Asp Ile 1 5 10 15 Ile Glu Leu Glu Lys Ala Arg Gln Trp Lys Gly Leu Glu Leu Ile Pro 20 25 30 Ser Glu Asn Phe Thr Ser Val Ser Val Met Gln Ala Ile Gly Ser Ile 35 40 45 Ile Thr Asn Thr Arg Asn Glu Gly Tyr Pro Gly Ala Arg Tyr Tyr Gly 50 55 60 Gly Asn Glu Tyr Ile Asp Met Ala Glu Thr Leu Cys Gln Lys Arg Ala 65 70 75 80 Leu Glu Ala Phe Arg Leu Asp Pro Ala Lys Trp Gly Val Asn Val Gln 85 90 95 Pro Leu Ser Gly Phe Phe Cys Gln Phe Xaa Val Tyr Thr Ala Leu Leu 100 105 110 Lys Pro His Asp Arg Ile Met Gly Leu Asp Leu Pro His Gly Gly 115 120 125 7 792 DNA Triticum aestivum unsure (697) unsure (707) unsure (720) unsure (758)..(759) unsure (763) unsure (792) 7 ctcgtgccga attcggcacg agcctaccga gaggtgcacg aggaggccgc ccaccaccac 60 cacccaccat ggccatggcg acggcgctcc gcaagctctc cgcccgcggc cagcccctct 120 cccgcctcac gccgctctac tccatggcgt ccctgccggc gacggaggag agatccgcag 180 tcacctggcc gaagcagttg aacgcgccgc tggaggaggt cgaccccgag attgccgaca 240 tcatcgagct cgagaaggcc cgccaatgga aggggctgga gctcatcccg tcggagaact 300 tcacctccct gtcggtgatg caggcggtgg gatccgtcat gaccaacaag tacagcgagg 360 ggtaccccgg cgcgagatac tacggtggaa acgaatacat tgatatggcc gagacgctgt 420 gtcagaaacg tgctttggag gccttcaatt tggacccgga gaagtgggga gtgaatgtgc 480 aacctctatc gggttcacct gccaacttcc atgtatacac tgctctgctg aagccacatg 540 acagaattat ggctctggat cttcctcacg gtggacatct ttcccatggt taccaagact 600 gacacaaaga aaatctcagc aagtttcaat attctttgag acaatgcctt acagaccggg 660 atgaaagcac tggcttgatt gattatgacc agttggngaa aaagtgncgt tcctgtttan 720 gccaaaagtt gattgtttgc tggggctagt gcaaaatnnc ccncctttaa ttattattac 780 cgcaatgcgg gn 792 8 163 PRT Triticum aestivum 8 Glu Glu Arg Ser Ala Val Thr Trp Pro Lys Gln Leu Asn Ala Pro Leu 1 5 10 15 Glu Glu Val Asp Pro Glu Ile Ala Asp Ile Ile Glu Leu Glu Lys Ala 20 25 30 Arg Gln Trp Lys Gly Leu Glu Leu Ile Pro Ser Glu Asn Phe Thr Ser 35 40 45 Leu Ser Val Met Gln Ala Val Gly Ser Val Met Thr Asn Lys Tyr Ser 50 55 60 Glu Gly Tyr Pro Gly Ala Arg Tyr Tyr Gly Gly Asn Glu Tyr Ile Asp 65 70 75 80 Met Ala Glu Thr Leu Cys Gln Lys Arg Ala Leu Glu Ala Phe Asn Leu 85 90 95 Asp Pro Glu Lys Trp Gly Val Asn Val Gln Pro Leu Ser Gly Ser Pro 100 105 110 Ala Asn Phe His Val Tyr Thr Ala Leu Leu Lys Pro His Asp Arg Ile 115 120 125 Met Ala Leu Asp Leu Pro His Gly Gly His Leu Ser His Gly Tyr Lys 130 135 140 Thr Asp Thr Arg Lys Ser Gln Gln Val Ser Ile Phe Phe Glu Thr Met 145 150 155 160 Pro Tyr Arg 9 523 DNA Zea mays unsure (15) 9 aaagctgtta ttgcntctgg agcaagatac tcgggtccaa ccgtacattt tgtggatgag 60 cactatgata ccggtaaaac gttagcccag agggttgtgc ctgtgttcgc ggatgacacg 120 ccagagctat tggctgcaag agtcctccat gaggaacata tggtctatgt tgaagcagtt 180 gctgctttgt gcgaggaccg cgtcgtatgg agggaagatg gtgtcccact tatcaaaagt 240 cggacaaatc cagctgtgta catctaattg acaatacggc aatagtagca ctattttgga 300 gtaataatgg aatttgtaga gcccttgcca cttttcccgg taaaaggggt acttagcagt 360 tgacgtaggg ttgatataca gggcacaact tatttgccac cgaaacattt ccatgcgttg 420 gaagtgagaa acattgcccc caataggccg cagtatccat tactgcatgg aacaaggttg 480 aaattttacc ttgatttgag ataactatca aaaaaaaaaa aaa 523 10 84 PRT Zea mays 10 Lys Ala Val Ile Ala Ser Gly Ala Arg Tyr Ser Gly Pro Thr Val His 1 5 10 15 Phe Val Asp Glu His Tyr Asp Thr Gly Lys Thr Leu Ala Gln Arg Val 20 25 30 Val Pro Val Phe Ala Asp Asp Thr Pro Glu Leu Leu Ala Ala Arg Val 35 40 45 Leu His Glu Glu His Met Val Tyr Val Glu Ala Val Ala Ala Leu Cys 50 55 60 Glu Asp Arg Val Val Trp Arg Glu Asp Gly Val Pro Leu Ile Lys Ser 65 70 75 80 Arg Thr Asn Pro 11 407 DNA Triticum aestivum unsure (252) unsure (259) unsure (271) unsure (276) unsure (284)..(285) unsure (307) unsure (329) unsure (332) unsure (354) unsure (396) unsure (403) 11 agaggctcgc ggtgttcgtc tcaggcgggg gctcgaactt ccggtcgatc cacgaggccg 60 ttctgggtgg gaaggtgaac ggggatgttg ttgcgctcgt caccgataag ccaggctgcg 120 gtggcgcgga gtatgcaagg tgcaatggca tgcccgtggt cgtgtttccc aagtcgaaat 180 cggcgccggg agggggtctc cacagatgaa cttctgaatg ttctgaggat tctgaaaggt 240 aaactttatt cnacttgcng gttacttgaa ncccanacct ggtnncctat ttagtcaatt 300 tcccaanttc aagcctaaat aaaaccttna angcccccgg aattttggag gcanggttat 360 aaggttgaaa tgcctaacaa tttttgccat ctgggncaaa ccncagg 407 12 76 PRT Triticum aestivum 12 Arg Leu Ala Val Phe Val Ser Gly Gly Gly Ser Asn Phe Arg Ser Ile 1 5 10 15 His Glu Ala Val Leu Gly Gly Lys Val Asn Gly Asp Val Val Ala Leu 20 25 30 Val Thr Asp Lys Pro Gly Cys Gly Gly Ala Glu Tyr Ala Arg Cys Asn 35 40 45 Gly Met Pro Val Val Val Phe Pro Lys Ser Lys Ser Ala Pro Gly Glu 50 55 60 Gly Val Ser Thr Asp Glu Leu Leu Asn Val Leu Arg 65 70 75 13 358 DNA Oryza sativa unsure (301) unsure (356) 13 cttacagtga acttgtatcc attctataac aaggtcacct ctggtgtaat ttctttcgag 60 gatggcattg aaaacattga tatcggtgga cctacgatga tccgagcagc agctaagaat 120 cataaggatg ttcttgttat ggtggatcat gaagattacc ctgctctatt agagtatctg 180 caaggaaaac aagatgacca gcaattccgc aagatgctag catggaaagc tttccaacat 240 gtcgcttctt atgattcagc tgtctcagaa tggttgtgga agcaatccga acaaaggaga 300 ngtatccccc ccgaacttaa ccgttgcccc tttccctaaa tccaaacttc cgtttngg 358 14 94 PRT Oryza sativa 14 Val Asn Leu Tyr Pro Phe Tyr Asn Lys Val Thr Ser Gly Val Ile Ser 1 5 10 15 Phe Glu Asp Gly Ile Glu Asn Ile Asp Ile Gly Gly Pro Thr Met Ile 20 25 30 Arg Ala Ala Ala Lys Asn His Lys Asp Val Leu Val Met Val Asp His 35 40 45 Glu Asp Tyr Pro Ala Leu Leu Leu Glu Tyr Leu Gln Gly Lys Gln Asp 50 55 60 Asp Gln Gln Phe Arg Lys Met Leu Ala Trp Lys Ala Phe Gln His Val 65 70 75 80 Ala Ser Tyr Asp Ser Ala Val Ser Glu Trp Leu Trp Lys Gln 85 90 15 616 DNA Triticum aestivum unsure (293) unsure (385) unsure (409) unsure (435) unsure (455) unsure (514) unsure (530) unsure (554) unsure (561) unsure (596) unsure (609) 15 cttggatgct gatgctgcat ggaattgtgt gtcagagttt gagaatccta cttgtgttgt 60 ggttaagcac accaatccgt gcggtgttgc atcccggcag gatgttcttg aggcatacag 120 gttggccgta agggcagatc ctgtgagtgc atttggcgga atcgttgcat tcaacaccac 180 agttgacgag gatcttgcaa aggagattcg cgagtttaga agtcctacag atggcgagac 240 tcggatgttc tatgagatcg tggtggcacc aggatacaca gagaagggcc tcnaggtcct 300 caaagggaaa tccaagacgt tgaggatcct tgaggcaaag agaagtgggg aaaacatgct 360 gtcgctcaag caagtcaatg gtggntggct aactcaagat ccgacgatnt aacccaagaa 420 gacatcaact tcacnacggg ttctaaaaaa ctccnacggc atgagctaac ggatgcaaat 480 tccctggtct cctgaacact caagacaacc catntgattg caaggaaatn catctggcat 540 gggacggcac caanaggtgg nacctaggtt ctcaagaaca gggagcccaa ggaacnccgg 600 aaaaacctnt ccatcc 616 16 70 PRT Triticum aestivum 16 Asp Ala Asp Ala Ala Trp Asn Cys Val Ser Glu Phe Glu Asn Pro Thr 1 5 10 15 Cys Val Val Val Lys His Thr Asn Pro Cys Gly Val Ala Ser Arg Gln 20 25 30 Asp Val Leu Glu Ala Tyr Arg Leu Ala Val Arg Ala Asp Pro Val Ser 35 40 45 Ala Phe Gly Gly Ile Val Ala Phe Asn Thr Thr Val Asp Glu Asp Leu 50 55 60 Ala Lys Glu Ile Arg Glu 65 70 17 432 DNA Zea mays unsure (213) 17 tcttgctaaa catatatcaa acacgaggag ttatggagtt aatgttgtag ttgcaatcaa 60 caaatttgca tcagatactg aggcagaaat gaaggcagtg cacagtgcag ctatggctgc 120 tggtgctttt gacgctgttg tctgcacaca ccatgcccat ggtggtaaag gagcggttga 180 gcttggactt gctgttcaac gagcatgcga aanccaggca gaacctctga agtttttgta 240 tcccttggaa tctagcataa aggagaagat tgagtcaatt gctaagttct atggtgctag 300 tggcgttgaa tattccgagc aggtgagaag cagattgaga tgtacaccaa gcaagggttc 360 tccagctccc catttgcatg ggaagaccag tactcattct cacatgtccg tcataagggc 420 gcccgaccgg ct 432 18 119 PRT Zea mays UNSURE (71) 18 Leu Ala Lys His Ile Ser Asn Thr Arg Ser Tyr Gly Val Asn Val Val 1 5 10 15 Val Ala Ile Asn Lys Phe Ala Ser Asp Thr Glu Ala Glu Met Lys Ala 20 25 30 Val His Ser Ala Ala Met Ala Ala Gly Ala Phe Asp Ala Val Val Cys 35 40 45 Thr His His Ala His Gly Gly Lys Gly Ala Val Glu Leu Gly Leu Ala 50 55 60 Val Gln Arg Ala Cys Glu Xaa Gln Ala Glu Pro Leu Lys Phe Leu Tyr 65 70 75 80 Pro Leu Glu Ser Ser Ile Lys Glu Lys Ile Glu Ser Ile Ala Lys Phe 85 90 95 Tyr Gly Ala Ser Gly Val Glu Tyr Ser Glu Gln Val Arg Ser Arg Leu 100 105 110 Arg Cys Thr Pro Ser Lys Gly 115 19 542 DNA Oryza sativa unsure (364) unsure (366) unsure (379) unsure (410) unsure (422) unsure (426) unsure (448) unsure (451) unsure (464) unsure (466) unsure (471) unsure (485) unsure (493) unsure (500) unsure (525) unsure (527) unsure (529) unsure (535) unsure (542) 19 cttacaatta gagctcttaa aatgcatggt gggggccctg atgttgtggc tgggaagcct 60 ttggatcatg catatgtgag tgaaaatgtg gctcttgttg aagctggatg cgtcaatctt 120 gctaaacata tcgcaaacac aaagagttat ggagttaatg ttgtagttgc aatcaacaag 180 tttgcatcag atactgaagc agaaatggac gtggtgcgaa atgcgtcttt ggctgctggt 240 gcttttgatg ctgttgtctg cactcaccat gcgcatggtg gtaaaaggag cgggttgatc 300 tttggactcg cggttcaaac gggcaagttg agagccaagg caagaaccct ctgaaaattt 360 tggnancctt aaaaatccng gcataaaagg agaaagattg agtcaataan ctaagttcca 420 angggnctaa accggcgttt gaataacncc ngaacaaggc gggngnaaac nagattggaa 480 atgtntaaca agncaaaggn ttccaaaacc tcccaaatat ccatngngna aaacncaatt 540 an 542 20 94 PRT Oryza sativa 20 Thr Ile Arg Ala Leu Lys Met His Gly Gly Gly Pro Asp Val Val Ala 1 5 10 15 Gly Lys Pro Leu Asp His Ala Tyr Val Ser Glu Asn Val Ala Leu Val 20 25 30 Glu Ala Gly Cys Val Asn Leu Ala Lys His Ile Ala Asn Thr Lys Ser 35 40 45 Tyr Gly Val Asn Val Val Val Ala Ile Asn Lys Phe Ala Ser Asp Thr 50 55 60 Glu Ala Glu Met Asp Val Val Arg Asn Ala Ser Leu Ala Ala Gly Ala 65 70 75 80 Phe Asp Ala Val Val Cys Thr His His Ala His Gly Gly Lys 85 90 21 550 DNA Glycine max unsure (418) unsure (533) 21 ctgaaatctt agtttctgcc cgaaactgaa actgaatcga aattcaatac aatgagttcc 60 tcaactacag tgaggaagtt gcaggtggtg tcccctgttc ctgcggacat agacattgca 120 aactccgttg aacccgttca tatctcccag attgccaaag acctcaacct tagtcccaat 180 cactatgacc tttacggtaa atacaaggct aaggttttgt tgtcggttct tgatgagctt 240 caaggatcag aagatgggta ttatgttgtg gtcggaggca ttactccgac tcctctcggg 300 gaaggcaaat ctactactac agtggggctc tgtcaagctt taggtgcttt tcttgataaa 360 aaggtagtca cctgccttcg tcaaccatcg caaggaccta cttttggaat taaaggangt 420 gcaactggtg gtggctatag ccaagttatt cccaagggat gaattcaatc ttcatctaac 480 agggagatat tcatgcaata actgcagcaa acatcctcaa gctgcgcaat tgntacccga 540 attttcatga 550 22 134 PRT Glycine max UNSURE (121) 22 Ser Ser Thr Thr Val Arg Lys Leu Gln Val Val Ser Pro Val Pro Ala 1 5 10 15 Asp Ile Asp Ile Ala Asn Ser Val Glu Pro Val His Ile Ser Gln Ile 20 25 30 Ala Lys Asp Leu Asn Leu Ser Pro Asn His Tyr Asp Leu Tyr Gly Lys 35 40 45 Tyr Lys Ala Lys Val Leu Leu Ser Val Leu Asp Glu Leu Gln Gly Ser 50 55 60 Glu Asp Gly Tyr Tyr Val Val Val Gly Gly Ile Thr Pro Thr Pro Leu 65 70 75 80 Gly Glu Gly Lys Ser Thr Thr Thr Val Gly Leu Cys Gln Ala Leu Gly 85 90 95 Ala Phe Leu Asp Lys Lys Val Val Thr Cys Leu Arg Gln Pro Ser Gln 100 105 110 Gly Pro Thr Phe Gly Ile Lys Gly Xaa Ala Thr Gly Gly Gly Tyr Ser 115 120 125 Gln Val Ile Pro Lys Gly 130 23 535 DNA Triticum aestivum unsure (334) unsure (371) unsure (374) unsure (391) unsure (408) unsure (410) unsure (460) unsure (468) unsure (471) unsure (480) unsure (506) unsure (522) unsure (533)..(534) 23 gggactgaga aattcatgga cataaagtgt aggtatagtg gattgacacc tcagtgtgct 60 attattgtgg ccacaattag ggctcttaaa atgcatggag gaggcccaga tgttgtggct 120 gggaagcctt tagatcatgc atatgtcagt gaaaatgtgg ctcttgttga agctggatgt 180 gttaatcttg ctaagcacat ctcaaacaca aagggttatg gagtgaatgt tgtagtagca 240 atcaacaaat ttgcaacaga cacagacgct gaaatggaag ttgtgaaaaa ggcggctatg 300 gcagctgggg cttccatgct gcgtctgctc ccancatgca cacggtggta aaggagcgtt 360 tatcttggga nccnctgttc aaaagacatt naaagcaagc aaggcccngn agttttaaat 420 ccttagatcc aacataaaag agaaattgat ccatactaan tctaaggngc naatgggttn 480 aatacccgaa caagcgaaaa caaatnagat ttcacaacaa gntctcaact ccnng 535 24 104 PRT Triticum aestivum 24 Gly Thr Glu Lys Phe Met Asp Ile Lys Cys Arg Tyr Ser Gly Leu Thr 1 5 10 15 Pro Gln Cys Ala Ile Ile Val Ala Thr Ile Arg Ala Leu Lys Met His 20 25 30 Gly Gly Gly Pro Asp Val Val Ala Gly Lys Pro Leu Asp His Ala Tyr 35 40 45 Val Ser Glu Asn Val Ala Leu Val Glu Ala Gly Cys Val Asn Leu Ala 50 55 60 Lys His Ile Ser Asn Thr Lys Gly Tyr Gly Val Asn Val Val Val Ala 65 70 75 80 Ile Asn Lys Phe Ala Thr Asp Thr Asp Ala Glu Met Glu Val Val Lys 85 90 95 Lys Ala Ala Met Ala Ala Gly Ala 100 25 479 DNA Zea mays unsure (391) unsure (399) unsure (429) unsure (436) 25 aatcaatcaa gacagccccg tgctagctca cccgccgggg ctcgccacga tgagaggcct 60 cctcgcgtgc gccaccctcg cccgccgcgc cgccgcctcc tccgcgcccg cgcgcgtccg 120 ccacctggcg ggcgccgcgg aggcggcgga ggccgagctc aagaggacgg cgctctacga 180 cttccacgtc gcccacggcg gcaagatggt gccgttcgcc ggctggagca tgcccatcca 240 gtacagggac tccatcatgg actccaccgt caactgccgc gccaacggca gcctcttcga 300 cgtcgcccac atgtgcggcc tcagcctcaa gggccgcggg ggccatcccc ttcctcgagt 360 ccctcgtcgt cgccgacgtc gccgcgctca ngggacggna ccgggaacct caccgtcttc 420 accaacgang cagggngggg gcatcgacga atccgtcatc gccaaggtca ccgaaccaa 479 26 65 PRT Zea mays 26 Ala Ala Glu Ala Glu Leu Lys Arg Thr Ala Leu Tyr Asp Phe His Val 1 5 10 15 Ala His Gly Gly Lys Met Val Pro Phe Ala Gly Trp Ser Met Pro Ile 20 25 30 Gln Tyr Arg Asp Ser Ile Met Asp Ser Thr Val Asn Cys Arg Ala Asn 35 40 45 Gly Ser Leu Phe Asp Val Ala His Met Cys Gly Leu Ser Leu Lys Gly 50 55 60 Arg 65 27 687 DNA Oryza sativa unsure (428) unsure (462) unsure (496) unsure (506) unsure (518) unsure (521) unsure (542) unsure (579) unsure (585) unsure (596) unsure (613) unsure (622) unsure (627)..(628) unsure (640) unsure (658)..(659) unsure (670) unsure (683) 27 atcactagaa gatgagaggg ctactcgcgt gcgccacgct cgcccgccgc gccgccggcg 60 cgacgtcgac ggcgcggcgg cacctggcgg gcgcggccga ggcggcggag gcggagctga 120 agaagacggc gctgtacgac ttccacgtcg cgcacggcgg gaagatggtg ccgttcgccg 180 ggtggagcat gcccatccag tacaaggaca ccatcatgga ctccaccctc aactgccgcg 240 ccaacggcag cctcttcgac gtctcccaca tgtgcgggct cagcctccac gggcgccagg 300 ccatcccctt cctcgagtcc ctcgtcgtcg ccgacgtcgc ggcgctcaag gacggcaacg 360 ggacgctcaa cgtcttcaca acgaccgcgg cgggccatcg acaatccgtc gttacaagtc 420 acgaccanca attactcgtc gtcaacgccg ggtgaaggac angattcgcc acattgggga 480 gcacatggag gcctcnacaa gaaggnggga ctaattgnac ntcacataac gtccttctga 540 tncaggactc ttctgacaat cccatttgca agaagttana aattntcatg ctcaangatg 600 ataatggagc tgnttcccaa anggtanngt aaaagttgan ccgtcacaaa atattttnna 660 ggcccgaaan tagaggaagc gtnggcc 687 28 107 PRT Oryza sativa 28 Arg Arg His Leu Ala Gly Ala Ala Glu Ala Ala Glu Ala Glu Leu Lys 1 5 10 15 Lys Thr Ala Leu Tyr Asp Phe His Val Ala His Gly Gly Lys Met Val 20 25 30 Pro Phe Ala Gly Trp Ser Met Pro Ile Gln Tyr Lys Asp Thr Ile Met 35 40 45 Asp Ser Thr Leu Asn Cys Arg Ala Asn Gly Ser Leu Phe Asp Val Ser 50 55 60 His Met Cys Gly Leu Ser Leu His Gly Arg Gln Ala Ile Pro Phe Leu 65 70 75 80 Glu Ser Leu Val Val Ala Asp Val Ala Ala Leu Lys Asp Gly Asn Gly 85 90 95 Thr Leu Asn Val Phe Thr Thr Thr Ala Ala Gly 100 105 29 571 DNA Glycine max unsure (394) unsure (397) unsure (425) unsure (442) unsure (464) unsure (484) unsure (486) unsure (493) unsure (530) unsure (544) unsure (553) unsure (556)..(557) unsure (563) unsure (568)..(569) 29 aagccttcct ctctgcagag tgcagagctt tctctccccg ttgcttcatt cattctcaac 60 aacaaaccaa tctttcttag aaaatgaggg ggggcttgtg gcaacttggg caatcgatca 120 ctcgccgtct tgcccatgga gataagaagg ctgttgctcg tcgatgtttt gcctcagaag 180 ctgagctgaa aaagacagtg tttcatgact tccatgttgc tcatggtggg aagatggttc 240 catttgctgg gtggagcatg ccaatccaat acaaggactc aatcatggac tctaccatca 300 actgtaggga gaatggtagc ctctttgatg tttcccatat gtgtgggctg agcctcaaag 360 ggaaggacgc tgccccattc cttgaaaagc tggncantgg cgatgttgct gggcttggcc 420 ctggnaatgg gacgttgact gntttcaaaa atgaaaaggg aagngcaatt gatgattcaa 480 ttantnccaa agngaccggt gaccaaatat aattgggtgg gaatgctggn tgcaaggata 540 aagnttgggg canaanntgg ganacatnna g 571 30 142 PRT Glycine max UNSURE (104)..(105) UNSURE (120) UNSURE (127) UNSURE (134)..(135) UNSURE (137) 30 Met Arg Gly Gly Leu Trp Gln Leu Gly Gln Ser Ile Thr Arg Arg Leu 1 5 10 15 Ala His Gly Asp Lys Lys Ala Val Ala Arg Arg Cys Phe Ala Ser Glu 20 25 30 Ala Glu Leu Lys Lys Thr Val Phe His Asp Phe His Val Ala His Gly 35 40 45 Gly Lys Met Val Pro Phe Ala Gly Trp Ser Met Pro Ile Gln Tyr Lys 50 55 60 Asp Ser Ile Met Asp Ser Thr Ile Asn Cys Arg Glu Asn Gly Ser Leu 65 70 75 80 Phe Asp Val Ser His Met Cys Gly Leu Ser Leu Lys Gly Lys Asp Ala 85 90 95 Ala Pro Phe Leu Glu Lys Leu Xaa Xaa Gly Asp Val Ala Gly Leu Gly 100 105 110 Pro Gly Asn Gly Thr Leu Thr Xaa Phe Lys Asn Glu Lys Gly Xaa Ala 115 120 125 Ile Asp Asp Ser Ile Xaa Xaa Lys Xaa Thr Gly Asp Gln Ile 130 135 140 31 541 DNA Triticum aestivum unsure (260) unsure (369) unsure (374) unsure (447) unsure (455) unsure (465) unsure (468) unsure (477) unsure (500) unsure (507) unsure (517)..(518) unsure (520) unsure (530) 31 gctagctcac ccgccggggc tcgccacgat gagaggcctc ctcgcgtgcg ccaccctcgc 60 ccgccgcgcc gccgcctcct ccgcgcccgc gcgcgtccgc cacctggcgg gcgccgcgga 120 ggcggcggag gccgagctca agaggacggc gctctacgac ttccacgtcg cccacggcgg 180 caagatggtg ccgttcgccg gctggagcat gcccatccag tacagggact ccatcatgga 240 ctccaccgtc aactgccgcn ccaacggcag cctcttcgac gtcgcccaca tgtgcgggct 300 cagcctcaag ggccgcgggg ccatcccctt cctcgagtcc ctcgtcgtcg ccgacgtcgc 360 cgcgctcang gacngaaccg gaacctcaac gtcttaacaa cgagcaagga ggcgcatcga 420 cgactccgtc atcgcaaagg taacgtnaca aatcnactcg tcgtnaancc ggatgangga 480 aaggactcgc caatctaggn caatggnggc ttaacannan ggcgggagtn aatggaaatc 540 a 541 32 90 PRT Triticum aestivum UNSURE (47) UNSURE (83) UNSURE (85) 32 Ala Ala Glu Ala Glu Leu Lys Arg Thr Ala Leu Tyr Asp Phe His Val 1 5 10 15 Ala His Gly Gly Lys Met Val Pro Phe Ala Gly Trp Ser Met Pro Ile 20 25 30 Gln Tyr Arg Asp Ser Ile Met Asp Ser Thr Val Asn Cys Arg Xaa Asn 35 40 45 Gly Ser Leu Phe Asp Val Ala His Met Cys Gly Leu Ser Leu Lys Gly 50 55 60 Arg Gly Ala Ile Pro Phe Leu Glu Ser Leu Val Val Ala Asp Val Ala 65 70 75 80 Ala Leu Xaa Asp Xaa Thr Gly Thr Ser Thr 85 90 33 536 DNA Zea mays unsure (198) unsure (275) unsure (307) unsure (356) unsure (375) unsure (420) unsure (425) unsure (460) unsure (516) unsure (532) 33 gagcgagtcg aggctccaac cccggcacat cacaggagga ggaggacgac gcgcccacca 60 tggccatggc gacggccctc cgcaagctct ccgccaacgc tctgcgccga cagccgctct 120 cccgcatcac gccgctctac tacatggcgt cccttccggc gacggaggag agatccggaa 180 tcacctggac taagcagntg aacgcgccgc tggaagaggt cgaccccgag attgctgaca 240 tcatcgagca cgagaaggcc cgccaatgga agggnctgga gctcatcccg tcggagaatt 300 tcacgtnggt gtcagtgatg cacgcagtgg gttccgtcat gaccaacaag tacagngagg 360 ggtaccctgg cgcangatac tacggcggaa atgagtttat tgatatggca gaagccttgn 420 gtcanaaacc gtgctttgga ggctttccgt ttggacccgn cgaaatgggg agtgaatgtg 480 caacctctat ccggttggcc gccaacttca tggatncctg gactcttgaa gncaca 536 34 159 PRT Zea mays UNSURE (47) UNSURE (83) UNSURE (99) UNSURE (106) UNSURE (121)..(122) UNSURE (134) UNSURE (153) UNSURE (158) 34 Met Ala Met Ala Thr Ala Leu Arg Lys Leu Ser Ala Asn Ala Leu Arg 1 5 10 15 Arg Gln Pro Leu Ser Arg Ile Thr Pro Leu Tyr Tyr Met Ala Ser Leu 20 25 30 Pro Ala Thr Glu Glu Arg Ser Gly Ile Thr Trp Thr Lys Gln Xaa Asn 35 40 45 Ala Pro Leu Glu Glu Val Asp Pro Glu Ile Ala Asp Ile Ile Glu His 50 55 60 Glu Lys Ala Arg Gln Trp Lys Gly Leu Glu Leu Ile Pro Ser Glu Asn 65 70 75 80 Phe Thr Xaa Val Ser Val Met His Ala Val Gly Ser Val Met Thr Asn 85 90 95 Lys Tyr Xaa Glu Gly Tyr Pro Gly Ala Xaa Tyr Tyr Gly Gly Asn Glu 100 105 110 Phe Ile Asp Met Ala Glu Ala Leu Xaa Xaa Lys Pro Cys Phe Gly Gly 115 120 125 Phe Pro Phe Gly Pro Xaa Glu Met Gly Ser Glu Cys Ala Thr Ser Ile 130 135 140 Arg Leu Ala Ala Asn Phe Met Asp Xaa Trp Thr Leu Glu Xaa Thr 145 150 155 35 1951 DNA Oryza sativa 35 gcacgagtac acacccccgc ctccaccacc acccgccgct cgccgctcgc ccaccatggc 60 catggcgacg gcgctccgca agctctcctc cgacgccctc cgccgccagc cgctctcccg 120 catcaccccg ctctactaca tggcgtccct gccggcgacg gaggagagat ccggagtcac 180 ctggccgaag cagctgaacg cgccgctgga ggaggtggat cccgagatcg ccgacatcat 240 cgagcacgag aaggcccgcc aatggaaggg tctggagctc atcccgtcgg agaacttcac 300 ctcggtgtca gtgatgcagg cggtgggatc cgtcatgacc aacaagtaca gcgaggggta 360 ccccggcgcg agatactacg gtggaaacga atacattgat atggccgagt cattgtgcca 420 gaaacgtgct ttggaggcct tccgcttgga cccagcgaaa tggggagtga atgtgcaacc 480 tctatcaggg tcacctgcca acttccatgt ttacactgcc ctattgaaac cacatgagag 540 aatcatggct ttggatcttc ctcatggtgg acatctttct cacggctacc agactgatac 600 taagaagatt tcagcagttt cgatattctt tgagacaatg ccctacagat tggatgaaag 660 cactggcttg attgattatg atcagatgga gaaaagtgcc gttcttttta ggccaaagtt 720 gatcgttgcg ggtgcaagtg catatgcgcg tctttatgac tatgaccgca tgcggaaggt 780 ttgtgacaag cagaaggcaa tacttctagc agatatggca catatcagtg ggcttgtcgc 840 agctggtgtt gttccatctc cttttgatta tgcagatgta gtgactacca ctactcacaa 900 gtcactccgt ggaccacgtg gagccatgat cttttacagg aagggggtga aaggagtaaa 960 caagcaaggc aaagaggtta tgtatgactt tgaggacaag atcaatgctg ctgtcttccc 1020 aggtctgcaa ggtggaccac ataatcatac cattactggc ttagctgttg cgcttaagca 1080 ggcaactact ccggagtaca gagcttatca agagcaagtt atgagtaact gtgcaaaatt 1140 tgcacagagc ttgacagcaa aaggctacga acttgtctct ggtgggactg acaaccattt 1200 agtgttggta aatctcaaga gcaagggcat agatggttca agagtggaga aggttttaga 1260 aaacgtgcac attgcagcaa acaagaacac agttcctggt gatgtttcag ctatggtacc 1320 aggaggcatc aggatgggaa ccccagcact gacctcaaga ggatttgttg aggaggactt 1380 tgctaaggtt gctgatttct tcgatgcagc agtgaacttg gctttgaagg ttaaggctgc 1440 agcaggtgga acaaaactga aggactttgt tgccactttg caatctgata gcaacattca 1500 atccgagatt gcaaaacttc gccatgatgt ggaggaatat gcaaaacagt tccccacaat 1560 tgggtttgag aaagaaacca tgaagtacaa gaactaagaa actttgaatg gaacagcaag 1620 ggtaaaagaa aaggcatcaa gctgaattcc tgaggtgact gttggaattc ttgcaagaac 1680 aagtcggtgt aaacatatat ccatggagtg ccatcttatg taaaagggac ccctggcatt 1740 ttacagcgtg tggaaacttt gtcaatagtt cttatcgtag acacctactg taagatgtta 1800 tgctaatgct atattaacct tcactatctt cttggacaag cagttacaca tactttggtg 1860 tattctgtga ataattcgca tgattgcgga atttttcgtg tttaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa 1920 aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa a 1951 36 513 PRT Oryza sativa 36 Met Ala Met Ala Thr Ala Leu Arg Lys Leu Ser Ser Asp Ala Leu Arg 1 5 10 15 Arg Gln Pro Leu Ser Arg Ile Thr Pro Leu Tyr Tyr Met Ala Ser Leu 20 25 30 Pro Ala Thr Glu Glu Arg Ser Gly Val Thr Trp Pro Lys Gln Leu Asn 35 40 45 Ala Pro Leu Glu Glu Val Asp Pro Glu Ile Ala Asp Ile Ile Glu His 50 55 60 Glu Lys Ala Arg Gln Trp Lys Gly Leu Glu Leu Ile Pro Ser Glu Asn 65 70 75 80 Phe Thr Ser Val Ser Val Met Gln Ala Val Gly Ser Val Met Thr Asn 85 90 95 Lys Tyr Ser Glu Gly Tyr Pro Gly Ala Arg Tyr Tyr Gly Gly Asn Glu 100 105 110 Tyr Ile Asp Met Ala Glu Ser Leu Cys Gln Lys Arg Ala Leu Glu Ala 115 120 125 Phe Arg Leu Asp Pro Ala Lys Trp Gly Val Asn Val Gln Pro Leu Ser 130 135 140 Gly Ser Pro Ala Asn Phe His Val Tyr Thr Ala Leu Leu Lys Pro His 145 150 155 160 Glu Arg Ile Met Ala Leu Asp Leu Pro His Gly Gly His Leu Ser His 165 170 175 Gly Tyr Gln Thr Asp Thr Lys Lys Ile Ser Ala Val Ser Ile Phe Phe 180 185 190 Glu Thr Met Pro Tyr Arg Leu Asp Glu Ser Thr Gly Leu Ile Asp Tyr 195 200 205 Asp Gln Met Glu Lys Ser Ala Val Leu Phe Arg Pro Lys Leu Ile Val 210 215 220 Ala Gly Ala Ser Ala Tyr Ala Arg Leu Tyr Asp Tyr Asp Arg Met Arg 225 230 235 240 Lys Val Cys Asp Lys Gln Lys Ala Ile Leu Leu Ala Asp Met Ala His 245 250 255 Ile Ser Gly Leu Val Ala Ala Gly Val Val Pro Ser Pro Phe Asp Tyr 260 265 270 Ala Asp Val Val Thr Thr Thr Thr His Lys Ser Leu Arg Gly Pro Arg 275 280 285 Gly Ala Met Ile Phe Tyr Arg Lys Gly Val Lys Gly Val Asn Lys Gln 290 295 300 Gly Lys Glu Val Met Tyr Asp Phe Glu Asp Lys Ile Asn Ala Ala Val 305 310 315 320 Phe Pro Gly Leu Gln Gly Gly Pro His Asn His Thr Ile Thr Gly Leu 325 330 335 Ala Val Ala Leu Lys Gln Ala Thr Thr Pro Glu Tyr Arg Ala Tyr Gln 340 345 350 Glu Gln Val Met Ser Asn Cys Ala Lys Phe Ala Gln Ser Leu Thr Ala 355 360 365 Lys Gly Tyr Glu Leu Val Ser Gly Gly Thr Asp Asn His Leu Val Leu 370 375 380 Val Asn Leu Lys Ser Lys Gly Ile Asp Gly Ser Arg Val Glu Lys Val 385 390 395 400 Leu Glu Asn Val His Ile Ala Ala Asn Lys Asn Thr Val Pro Gly Asp 405 410 415 Val Ser Ala Met Val Pro Gly Gly Ile Arg Met Gly Thr Pro Ala Leu 420 425 430 Thr Ser Arg Gly Phe Val Glu Glu Asp Phe Ala Lys Val Ala Asp Phe 435 440 445 Phe Asp Ala Ala Val Asn Leu Ala Leu Lys Val Lys Ala Ala Ala Gly 450 455 460 Gly Thr Lys Leu Lys Asp Phe Val Ala Thr Leu Gln Ser Asp Ser Asn 465 470 475 480 Ile Gln Ser Glu Ile Ala Lys Leu Arg His Asp Val Glu Glu Tyr Ala 485 490 495 Lys Gln Phe Pro Thr Ile Gly Phe Glu Lys Glu Thr Met Lys Tyr Lys 500 505 510 Asn 37 1451 DNA Glycine max 37 gcacgagggc aatggcactt ggcaggcttt catcttcctt caacaagcct ttacgtcctc 60 tcttcaatgc tggctcagtt tactacaagt cctctttgcc tgctgaagct gcgtacgaca 120 atgagaaaag ctgtgatacg gaattgaatg ctccacttga ggttgttgat cctgagattg 180 ctgatataat tgagcttgaa aaagctagac aatggaaggg actggaactg ataccctccg 240 agaatttcac ttctgtctct gtaatgcaag ctattggctc tatcattact aacactcgga 300 atgaaggata tcccggtgca agatattatg ggggaaatga gtatattgac atggcagaaa 360 cactatgtca aaaacgtgcc ttggaagcat ttcggttgga tccggctaaa tggggagtga 420 acgtgcagcc tctgtctggt tcttctgcca attttcaagt ttacactgca ttgctaaaac 480 ctcatgatag aatcatggga cttgatctac cacatggagg gcatctttct catggatacc 540 agactgacac caataaggta tctgcagtct ccttattttt tgagacaatg ccatatagac 600 tgaacgaaaa cacgggacac attgactatg atcagttgga gagtacggcg aaactcttca 660 ggccaaaatt aatagttgct ggagctactg cttatgcacg tctgtatgat tatgcacgca 720 ttcgcaaggt gtgtgataaa cagaaagctg tgctgttggc agatatggca cacatcagtg 780 gattagttgc agctggtgtt atcccttcac cttttgatta tgcagatgta gtgactacca 840 caactcacaa atcactccgt ggccctcgcg gagctatgat cttcttcagg aagggggtaa 900 aagaaattaa cgaaaaagga gaagaggtga tgtatgacta tgaagacaaa atcaatagag 960 ctgtgtttcc tggactgcaa agtggtcctc acttccactc tattactggt ttagctgttg 1020 cattgaagca ggctacaact ccaaactata gagcatacca agagcaggtt ctccgtaatt 1080 gctcaaaatt tgcacaggca ctgagtgaga agggctatga gcttgtttct ggtggaactg 1140 agaatcatct acttttggtg aatctgaaga gcaagggtat tgatggctcc agagttcaga 1200 aggtgttgga atcagttcac attgcagcta acaaaaacac agttccagga gatgtgtccg 1260 ccatggttcc tggtggtatc agaatgggaa ctcctgctct tacttctaag ggatttggct 1320 aagaagattt tgttatgggg gcagagtttt ttgatgcaac tgttaattta gctggtaaga 1380 ttaagtcaag gacaaaagga ttaaaattga aggacttcct gggcaaaatt caatcatcct 1440 cctaatttca a 1451 38 439 PRT Glycine max 38 Thr Arg Ala Met Ala Leu Gly Arg Leu Ser Ser Ser Phe Asn Lys Pro 1 5 10 15 Leu Arg Pro Leu Phe Asn Ala Gly Ser Val Tyr Tyr Lys Ser Ser Leu 20 25 30 Pro Ala Glu Ala Ala Tyr Asp Asn Glu Lys Ser Cys Asp Thr Glu Leu 35 40 45 Asn Ala Pro Leu Glu Val Val Asp Pro Glu Ile Ala Asp Ile Ile Glu 50 55 60 Leu Glu Lys Ala Arg Gln Trp Lys Gly Leu Glu Leu Ile Pro Ser Glu 65 70 75 80 Asn Phe Thr Ser Val Ser Val Met Gln Ala Ile Gly Ser Ile Ile Thr 85 90 95 Asn Thr Arg Asn Glu Gly Tyr Pro Gly Ala Arg Tyr Tyr Gly Gly Asn 100 105 110 Glu Tyr Ile Asp Met Ala Glu Thr Leu Cys Gln Lys Arg Ala Leu Glu 115 120 125 Ala Phe Arg Leu Asp Pro Ala Lys Trp Gly Val Asn Val Gln Pro Leu 130 135 140 Ser Gly Ser Ser Ala Asn Phe Gln Val Tyr Thr Ala Leu Leu Lys Pro 145 150 155 160 His Asp Arg Ile Met Gly Leu Asp Leu Pro His Gly Gly His Leu Ser 165 170 175 His Gly Tyr Gln Thr Asp Thr Asn Lys Val Ser Ala Val Ser Leu Phe 180 185 190 Phe Glu Thr Met Pro Tyr Arg Leu Asn Glu Asn Thr Gly His Ile Asp 195 200 205 Tyr Asp Gln Leu Glu Ser Thr Ala Lys Leu Phe Arg Pro Lys Leu Ile 210 215 220 Val Ala Gly Ala Thr Ala Tyr Ala Arg Leu Tyr Asp Tyr Ala Arg Ile 225 230 235 240 Arg Lys Val Cys Asp Lys Gln Lys Ala Val Leu Leu Ala Asp Met Ala 245 250 255 His Ile Ser Gly Leu Val Ala Ala Gly Val Ile Pro Ser Pro Phe Asp 260 265 270 Tyr Ala Asp Val Val Thr Thr Thr Thr His Lys Ser Leu Arg Gly Pro 275 280 285 Arg Gly Ala Met Ile Phe Phe Arg Lys Gly Val Lys Glu Ile Asn Glu 290 295 300 Lys Gly Glu Glu Val Met Tyr Asp Tyr Glu Asp Lys Ile Asn Arg Ala 305 310 315 320 Val Phe Pro Gly Leu Gln Ser Gly Pro His Phe His Ser Ile Thr Gly 325 330 335 Leu Ala Val Ala Leu Lys Gln Ala Thr Thr Pro Asn Tyr Arg Ala Tyr 340 345 350 Gln Glu Gln Val Leu Arg Asn Cys Ser Lys Phe Ala Gln Ala Leu Ser 355 360 365 Glu Lys Gly Tyr Glu Leu Val Ser Gly Gly Thr Glu Asn His Leu Leu 370 375 380 Leu Val Asn Leu Lys Ser Lys Gly Ile Asp Gly Ser Arg Val Gln Lys 385 390 395 400 Val Leu Glu Ser Val His Ile Ala Ala Asn Lys Asn Thr Val Pro Gly 405 410 415 Asp Val Ser Ala Met Val Pro Gly Gly Ile Arg Met Gly Thr Pro Ala 420 425 430 Leu Thr Ser Lys Gly Phe Gly 435 39 1878 DNA Triticum aestivum 39 ctcgtgccga attcggcacg agcctaccga gaggtgcacg aggaggccgc ccaccaccac 60 cacccaccat ggccatggcg acggcgctcc gcaagctctc cgcccgcggc cagcccctct 120 cccgcctcac gccgctctac tccatggcgt ccctgccggc gacggaggag agatccgcag 180 tcacctggcc gaagcagttg aacgcgccgc tggaggaggt cgaccccgag attgccgaca 240 tcatcgagct cgagaaggcc cgccaatgga aggggctgga gctcatcccg tcggagaact 300 tcacctccct gtcggtgatg caggcggtgg gatccgtcat gaccaacaag tacagcgagg 360 ggtaccccgg cgcgagatac tacggtggaa acgaatacat tgatatggcc gagacgctgt 420 gtcagaaacg tgctttggag gccttcaatt tggacccaga gaagtgggga gtgaatgtgc 480 aacctctatc gggttcacct gccaacttcc atgtatacac tgctctgctg aagccacatg 540 acagaattat ggctctggat cttcctcacg gtggacatct ttcccatggc taccagactg 600 acacaaagaa aatctcagca gtttcaatat tctttgagac aatgccttac agactggatg 660 aaagcactgg cttgattgat tatgaccagt tggagaaaag tgccgttctg tttaggccaa 720 agttgattgt tgctggtgct agtgcatatg cccgccttta tgattataac cgcatgcgga 780 agatctgtga caagcagaag gcagttcttc tggcagacat ggcacatatc agtgggctag 840 ttgctgctgg tgtaattccg tctccttttg agtatgcaga tgtggtgact accactaccc 900 acaagtcact ccgtggtcca cgtggagcca tgatcttttt ccggaaggga gtgaaagaaa 960 taaacaaaca agggaaggag gttaagtatg attttgagga caaaatcaat gctgctgtct 1020 tcccaggttt gcaaggtgga ccccataacc atactattac tggcctggca gttgcgctta 1080 agcaggcaac tactcaggag tacagagctt atcaagagca agttatgagc aactctgcta 1140 gatttgctga gagcttaact tcaaaaggct acgatattgt ttctggtggg actgataacc 1200 atttagtttt ggtgaacctc aagaaaaagg gaatagatgg ttcacgtgtg gagaaggttt 1260 tagaaaatgt gcatattgca gcaaacaaga acacggttcc tggtgatgtt tcagctatgg 1320 tacccggagg catcaggatg ggaacccccg cacttacatc aagaggattt gttgaggagg 1380 acttcgccaa ggttgctgac ttcttcgatt cggcagtgaa cttggccttg aaggttaaag 1440 ctgcagcagc aggtaccaaa ctgaaggact ttgttgccac tttgcaatcc gacagcaaca 1500 tccaagctga aattgcaaag cttcgccacg atgtggagga atatgcgaaa caattcccaa 1560 caattggatt cgagaaggag accatgaagt acaagaacta agaactgctg tgtttcaaca 1620 gcaaaggaag caaacaagaa gcacagctga ggacaagtcc atgtaaacaa tagatccatg 1680 atgaagcgcc accatatgta aaaggaatcc aagcatttta cagaatatgg gaactttgtc 1740 gatagtttct tattgcaggc acatactgta agatgcttcg ctgatatgct ataaaaaaaa 1800 aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa 1860 aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaa 1878 40 510 PRT Triticum aestivum 40 Met Ala Met Ala Thr Ala Leu Arg Lys Leu Ser Ala Arg Gly Gln Pro 1 5 10 15 Leu Ser Arg Leu Thr Pro Leu Tyr Ser Met Ala Ser Leu Pro Ala Thr 20 25 30 Glu Glu Arg Ser Ala Val Thr Trp Pro Lys Gln Leu Asn Ala Pro Leu 35 40 45 Glu Glu Val Asp Pro Glu Ile Ala Asp Ile Ile Glu Leu Glu Lys Ala 50 55 60 Arg Gln Trp Lys Gly Leu Glu Leu Ile Pro Ser Glu Asn Phe Thr Ser 65 70 75 80 Leu Ser Val Met Gln Ala Val Gly Ser Val Met Thr Asn Lys Tyr Ser 85 90 95 Glu Gly Tyr Pro Gly Ala Arg Tyr Tyr Gly Gly Asn Glu Tyr Ile Asp 100 105 110 Met Ala Glu Thr Leu Cys Gln Lys Arg Ala Leu Glu Ala Phe Asn Leu 115 120 125 Asp Pro Glu Lys Trp Gly Val Asn Val Gln Pro Leu Ser Gly Ser Pro 130 135 140 Ala Asn Phe His Val Tyr Thr Ala Leu Leu Lys Pro His Asp Arg Ile 145 150 155 160 Met Ala Leu Asp Leu Pro His Gly Gly His Leu Ser His Gly Tyr Gln 165 170 175 Thr Asp Thr Lys Lys Ile Ser Ala Val Ser Ile Phe Phe Glu Thr Met 180 185 190 Pro Tyr Arg Leu Asp Glu Ser Thr Gly Leu Ile Asp Tyr Asp Gln Leu 195 200 205 Glu Lys Ser Ala Val Leu Phe Arg Pro Lys Leu Ile Val Ala Gly Ala 210 215 220 Ser Ala Tyr Ala Arg Leu Tyr Asp Tyr Asn Arg Met Arg Lys Ile Cys 225 230 235 240 Asp Lys Gln Lys Ala Val Leu Leu Ala Asp Met Ala His Ile Ser Gly 245 250 255 Leu Val Ala Ala Gly Val Ile Pro Ser Pro Phe Glu Tyr Ala Asp Val 260 265 270 Val Thr Thr Thr Thr His Lys Ser Leu Arg Gly Pro Arg Gly Ala Met 275 280 285 Ile Phe Phe Arg Lys Gly Val Lys Glu Ile Asn Lys Gln Gly Lys Glu 290 295 300 Val Lys Tyr Asp Phe Glu Asp Lys Ile Asn Ala Ala Val Phe Pro Gly 305 310 315 320 Leu Gln Gly Gly Pro His Asn His Thr Ile Thr Gly Leu Ala Val Ala 325 330 335 Leu Lys Gln Ala Thr Thr Gln Glu Tyr Arg Ala Tyr Gln Glu Gln Val 340 345 350 Met Ser Asn Ser Ala Arg Phe Ala Glu Ser Leu Thr Ser Lys Gly Tyr 355 360 365 Asp Ile Val Ser Gly Gly Thr Asp Asn His Leu Val Leu Val Asn Leu 370 375 380 Lys Lys Lys Gly Ile Asp Gly Ser Arg Val Glu Lys Val Leu Glu Asn 385 390 395 400 Val His Ile Ala Ala Asn Lys Asn Thr Val Pro Gly Asp Val Ser Ala 405 410 415 Met Val Pro Gly Gly Ile Arg Met Gly Thr Pro Ala Leu Thr Ser Arg 420 425 430 Gly Phe Val Glu Glu Asp Phe Ala Lys Val Ala Asp Phe Phe Asp Ser 435 440 445 Ala Val Asn Leu Ala Leu Lys Val Lys Ala Ala Ala Ala Gly Thr Lys 450 455 460 Leu Lys Asp Phe Val Ala Thr Leu Gln Ser Asp Ser Asn Ile Gln Ala 465 470 475 480 Glu Ile Ala Lys Leu Arg His Asp Val Glu Glu Tyr Ala Lys Gln Phe 485 490 495 Pro Thr Ile Gly Phe Glu Lys Glu Thr Met Lys Tyr Lys Asn 500 505 510 41 660 DNA Zea mays 41 tgccggttct tcttgccggt tacctgaagc ttatacccac tgaattgatc caggaatacc 60 caaaatccat attaaatatc cacccttctc tccttccggc attcggaggg aaaggtttct 120 atggttcaaa ggtgcataaa gctgttattg cctctggagc aagatactcg ggtccaaccg 180 tacattttgt ggatgagcac tatgataccg gtaaaacgtt agcccagagg gttgtgcctg 240 tgttcgcgga tgacacgcca gagctattgg ctgcaagagt cctccatgag gaacatatgg 300 tctatgttga agcagttgct gctttgtgcg aggaccgcgt cgtatggagg gaagatggtg 360 tcccacttat caaaagtcgg acaaatccag ctgtgtacat ctaattgaca atacggcaat 420 agtagcacta ttttggagta ataatggaat ttgtagagcc cttgccactt ttcccggtaa 480 aaggggtact tagcagttga cgtagggttg atatacaggg cacaacttat ttgccaccga 540 aacatttcca tgcgttggaa gtgagaaaca ttgcccccaa taggccgcag tatccattac 600 tgcatggaac aaggttgaaa ttttaccttg atttgagata actatcaaaa aaaaaaaaaa 660 42 133 PRT Zea mays 42 Pro Val Leu Leu Ala Gly Tyr Leu Lys Leu Ile Pro Thr Glu Leu Ile 1 5 10 15 Gln Glu Tyr Pro Lys Ser Ile Leu Asn Ile His Pro Ser Leu Leu Pro 20 25 30 Ala Phe Gly Gly Lys Gly Phe Tyr Gly Ser Lys Val His Lys Ala Val 35 40 45 Ile Ala Ser Gly Ala Arg Tyr Ser Gly Pro Thr Val His Phe Val Asp 50 55 60 Glu His Tyr Asp Thr Gly Lys Thr Leu Ala Gln Arg Val Val Pro Val 65 70 75 80 Phe Ala Asp Asp Thr Pro Glu Leu Leu Ala Ala Arg Val Leu His Glu 85 90 95 Glu His Met Val Tyr Val Glu Ala Val Ala Ala Leu Cys Glu Asp Arg 100 105 110 Val Val Trp Arg Glu Asp Gly Val Pro Leu Ile Lys Ser Arg Thr Asn 115 120 125 Pro Ala Val Tyr Ile 130 43 471 DNA Oryza sativa unsure (4) unsure (71) unsure (145) unsure (205) unsure (259) unsure (299) unsure (407) unsure (459)..(460) unsure (471) 43 aaanataacc atgtcaagac gtttccttga gagacatggg atcccctatc attacctacc 60 gacaagccca ngaaataaaa gagagcaaga gattttagaa ttggttcaag gtaccgattt 120 tgtggtactg gcaagatata tgcanatatt atctgaaggc tttctcaagg cttatggcaa 180 agatattatt aacatccatc atggncttct tccctcattt aagggaggga atccttcgag 240 acaggccttc aacgctggng taaaattgat cggcgcaacc agccattttg ttaccccana 300 acttgatgct ggcccaatca ttgagcaaat ggttgaacgg gtgtcccaca gagacacgct 360 acagagcttt gtggtgaaat ctgagaacct agagaaacaa tgcctancag aagctataaa 420 gtcgtactgt ggagctccgt gtgctaccaa atgaattgnn gaagacaagt n 471 44 149 PRT Oryza sativa UNSURE (23) UNSURE (47) UNSURE (99) UNSURE (135) 44 Ile Thr Met Ser Arg Arg Phe Leu Glu Arg His Gly Ile Pro Tyr His 1 5 10 15 Tyr Leu Pro Thr Ser Pro Xaa Asn Lys Arg Glu Gln Glu Ile Leu Glu 20 25 30 Leu Val Gln Gly Thr Asp Phe Val Val Leu Ala Arg Tyr Met Xaa Ile 35 40 45 Leu Ser Glu Gly Phe Leu Lys Ala Tyr Gly Lys Asp Ile Ile Asn Ile 50 55 60 His His Gly Leu Leu Pro Ser Phe Lys Gly Gly Asn Pro Ser Arg Gln 65 70 75 80 Ala Phe Asn Ala Gly Val Lys Leu Ile Gly Ala Thr Ser His Phe Val 85 90 95 Thr Pro Xaa Leu Asp Ala Gly Pro Ile Ile Glu Gln Met Val Glu Arg 100 105 110 Val Ser His Arg Asp Thr Leu Gln Ser Phe Val Val Lys Ser Glu Asn 115 120 125 Leu Glu Lys Gln Cys Leu Xaa Glu Ala Ile Lys Ser Tyr Cys Gly Ala 130 135 140 Pro Cys Ala Thr Lys 145 45 913 DNA Triticum aestivum 45 gcacgagaga ggctcgcggt gttcgtctca ggcgggggct cgaacttccg gtcgatccac 60 gaggccgttc tgggtgggaa ggtgaacggg gatgttgttg cgctcgtcac cgataagcca 120 ggctgcggtg gcgcggagta tgcaaggtgc aatggcatgc ccgtggtcgt gtttcccaag 180 tcgaaatcgg cgccggaggg ggtctccaca gatgaacttc tgaatgttct gagggatctg 240 aaggtagact ttattctact tgctggttac ttgaagctca tacctggtga gctagttaag 300 tcatttccca gatccatgct gaatatacat ccttcactgc tcccggcatt tggaggcaag 360 ggttattatg gtttgaaagt gcataaagca gttattgcat ctggagccag atactcagga 420 ccaactgtgc actttgtgga tgagcagttc gacacaggga aaaccttggc ccaaagagtt 480 gtgccagtgt tagccaatga tactccagag caattggctg caagggttct tcacgaggag 540 caccaagttt acgttgaggc agttgctgcc ttgtgtgagg atcgaattgt gtggcgagac 600 gatggtgtcc cacttatcag aagtcagaca aaccccaatg cgtataccta attcgtgatc 660 tctgtcctga gatctcctga aaactaatga agtttgtagt gtccgcacca agtgccagtt 720 ttcgccacgg catgtagtca acacacaccg tttgtctgat tgagtgaaat aacatgtcta 780 ataatctggt cccagaaaca taatgtgtac cttgcactgt gttcaactca ttgtatggct 840 tggctttgat gataatgtgt tccggtgtgc ctgaacaaag tttcagtgaa aaaaaaaaaa 900 aaaaaaaaac tcg 913 46 216 PRT Triticum aestivum 46 Ala Arg Glu Arg Leu Ala Val Phe Val Ser Gly Gly Gly Ser Asn Phe 1 5 10 15 Arg Ser Ile His Glu Ala Val Leu Gly Gly Lys Val Asn Gly Asp Val 20 25 30 Val Ala Leu Val Thr Asp Lys Pro Gly Cys Gly Gly Ala Glu Tyr Ala 35 40 45 Arg Cys Asn Gly Met Pro Val Val Val Phe Pro Lys Ser Lys Ser Ala 50 55 60 Pro Glu Gly Val Ser Thr Asp Glu Leu Leu Asn Val Leu Arg Asp Leu 65 70 75 80 Lys Val Asp Phe Ile Leu Leu Ala Gly Tyr Leu Lys Leu Ile Pro Gly 85 90 95 Glu Leu Val Lys Ser Phe Pro Arg Ser Met Leu Asn Ile His Pro Ser 100 105 110 Leu Leu Pro Ala Phe Gly Gly Lys Gly Tyr Tyr Gly Leu Lys Val His 115 120 125 Lys Ala Val Ile Ala Ser Gly Ala Arg Tyr Ser Gly Pro Thr Val His 130 135 140 Phe Val Asp Glu Gln Phe Asp Thr Gly Lys Thr Leu Ala Gln Arg Val 145 150 155 160 Val Pro Val Leu Ala Asn Asp Thr Pro Glu Gln Leu Ala Ala Arg Val 165 170 175 Leu His Glu Glu His Gln Val Tyr Val Glu Ala Val Ala Ala Leu Cys 180 185 190 Glu Asp Arg Ile Val Trp Arg Asp Asp Gly Val Pro Leu Ile Arg Ser 195 200 205 Gln Thr Asn Pro Asn Ala Tyr Thr 210 215 47 439 DNA Zea mays 47 gttcagggtt tggggtattc catcgtttcc actggtggaa cagcatccag cctggaagca 60 gcaggagtca gtgtaacaaa agttgaagaa attacacatt tccctgaaat gcttgatgga 120 cgagtgaaaa cattgcaccc aagtatacat ggtggtattc ttgccaggag agaccaggag 180 catcatttga aggcactaaa agatcatgga attgggacat ttgatgtggt tgtggtgaat 240 ttgtatccct tttatgacaa agtcacctct ggtaacatct cttttgagga tggcattgaa 300 aatattgata ttggtgggcc cacgatgatc agagctgcag ccaagaacca taaggatgtt 360 cttattgtgg tggatcataa tgattatcct gctttactgg agtaccttaa aggaaagcga 420 gacgatcagc agttcccca 439 48 134 PRT Zea mays 48 Lys Ala Leu Lys Asp His Gly Ile Gly Thr Phe Asp Val Val Val Val 1 5 10 15 Asn Leu Tyr Pro Phe Tyr Asp Lys Val Thr Ser Gly Asn Ile Ser Phe 20 25 30 Glu Asp Gly Ile Glu Asn Ile Asp Ile Gly Gly Pro Thr Met Ile Arg 35 40 45 Ala Ala Ala Lys Asn His Lys Asp Val Leu Ile Val Leu Gly Tyr Ser 50 55 60 Ile Val Ser Thr Gly Gly Thr Ala Ser Ser Leu Glu Ala Ala Gly Val 65 70 75 80 Ser Val Thr Lys Val Glu Glu Ile Thr His Phe Pro Glu Met Leu Asp 85 90 95 Gly Arg Val Lys Thr Leu His Pro Ser Ile His Gly Gly Ile Leu Ala 100 105 110 Arg Arg Asp Gln Glu His His Leu Val Asp His Asn Asp Tyr Pro Ala 115 120 125 Leu Leu Glu Tyr Leu Lys 130 49 1651 DNA Oryza sativa 49 gcacgagctt acagtgaact tgtatccatt ctataacaag gtcacctctg gtgtaatttc 60 tttcgaggat ggcattgaaa acattgatat cggtggacct acgatgatcc gagcagcagc 120 taagaatcat aaggatgttc ttgttatggt ggatcatgaa gattaccctg ctctattaga 180 gtatctgcaa ggaaaacaag atgaccagca attccgcaag atgctagcat ggaaagcttt 240 ccaacatgtc gcttcttatg attcagctgt ctcagaatgg ttgtggaagc aatcgaacaa 300 aggagatgta ttccccccga acttcaccgt gcccctgtcc ctgaaatcta cacttcgtta 360 tggtgaaaat cctcatcaaa aagctgcctt ctatggggac aagagtcttt ctgtagttaa 420 tgctggtggt attgcaacag caattcagca ccatgggaag gaaatgtctt acaacaacta 480 cttagatgcg gatgctgcat ggaactgtgt atcagagttt gagagtccta cgtgtgttgt 540 ggttaagcac acaaatccat gtggagtagc atcccgacag gatattcttg aagcatacag 600 gttggctgta aagggagatc ctgttagtgc atttggtggg atagttgctt tcaatacgac 660 aattgatgag gtatccagta gacttcttgc ctctaaacac ttgtgttgtt gggcatgacc 720 attattcaca ctatatcatg tttcaggatc ttgcaaaaga aatccgtgaa ttcaggagcc 780 ctacagatgg acagacgcga atgttctacg agattgttgt tgcacccggc tatacagaaa 840 agggtcttga gatcctcaaa gggaaatcaa agacattgag gatactggag gcgaagagaa 900 gtggaaaagg gatgctatca ctcaggcaag tcagtggtgg ctggttggct caagagtctg 960 atgatctaac ccctgaagat atcaccttca caacagtgtc cgagagagct cctcaagaca 1020 gtgagctctc tgatgccaaa tttgcctggc tttgtgtaaa gcacgtaaag agtaacgcca 1080 ttgtgatagc caagaataac tgcatgttag gcatgggaag tggccagcca aacagactgg 1140 agagtctgag aattgctttc aggaaagcag gagaggaggc caaaggagct gctttggcca 1200 gtgatgcatt cttcccattc gcttggaacg acgccgtgga ggaggcgtgc cagaacggca 1260 tcggcgtgat cgcggagccg agcggcagca tgagggacgg cgacgccgtc gactgctgca 1320 acaagtacgg cgtctccctc ctcttcaccg gcgtcaggca cttcaggcac tgagctagct 1380 agcctcatga accttgatct tcctgcaaaa aaaggaaaaa aaacatgggc atgtcagatc 1440 gatcgctctt tctgtatcac aagagcatgc agatcgacca gcgtttgatc accttgagaa 1500 aaactcttga cggcttgtac taggctgcct gccactggtg tgacagaatt tgatcagctt 1560 gacattttgc aataagattc atggtgataa taagattagg atgtctcgta ctcattctaa 1620 aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa a 1651 50 456 PRT Oryza sativa 50 His Glu Leu Thr Val Asn Leu Tyr Pro Phe Tyr Asn Lys Val Thr Ser 1 5 10 15 Gly Val Ile Ser Phe Glu Asp Gly Ile Glu Asn Ile Asp Ile Gly Gly 20 25 30 Pro Thr Met Ile Arg Ala Ala Ala Lys Asn His Lys Asp Val Leu Val 35 40 45 Met Val Asp His Glu Asp Tyr Pro Ala Leu Leu Glu Tyr Leu Gln Gly 50 55 60 Lys Gln Asp Asp Gln Gln Phe Arg Lys Met Leu Ala Trp Lys Ala Phe 65 70 75 80 Gln His Val Ala Ser Tyr Asp Ser Ala Val Ser Glu Trp Leu Trp Lys 85 90 95 Gln Ser Asn Lys Gly Asp Val Phe Pro Pro Asn Phe Thr Val Pro Leu 100 105 110 Ser Leu Lys Ser Thr Leu Arg Tyr Gly Glu Asn Pro His Gln Lys Ala 115 120 125 Ala Phe Tyr Gly Asp Lys Ser Leu Ser Val Val Asn Ala Gly Gly Ile 130 135 140 Ala Thr Ala Ile Gln His His Gly Lys Glu Met Ser Tyr Asn Asn Tyr 145 150 155 160 Leu Asp Ala Asp Ala Ala Trp Asn Cys Val Ser Glu Phe Glu Ser Pro 165 170 175 Thr Cys Val Val Val Lys His Thr Asn Pro Cys Gly Val Ala Ser Arg 180 185 190 Gln Asp Ile Leu Glu Ala Tyr Arg Leu Ala Val Lys Gly Asp Pro Val 195 200 205 Ser Ala Phe Gly Gly Ile Val Ala Phe Asn Thr Thr Ile Asp Glu Val 210 215 220 Ser Ser Arg Leu Leu Pro Leu Asn Thr Cys Val Val Gly His Asp His 225 230 235 240 Tyr Ser His Tyr Ile Met Phe Gln Asp Leu Ala Lys Glu Ile Arg Glu 245 250 255 Phe Arg Ser Pro Thr Asp Gly Gln Thr Arg Met Phe Tyr Glu Ile Val 260 265 270 Val Ala Pro Gly Tyr Thr Glu Lys Gly Leu Glu Ile Leu Lys Gly Lys 275 280 285 Ser Lys Thr Leu Arg Ile Leu Glu Ala Lys Arg Ser Gly Lys Gly Met 290 295 300 Leu Ser Leu Arg Gln Val Ser Gly Gly Trp Leu Ala Gln Glu Ser Asp 305 310 315 320 Asp Leu Thr Pro Glu Asp Ile Thr Phe Thr Thr Val Ser Glu Arg Ala 325 330 335 Pro Gln Asp Ser Glu Leu Ser Asp Ala Lys Phe Ala Trp Leu Cys Val 340 345 350 Lys His Val Lys Ser Asn Ala Ile Val Ile Ala Lys Asn Asn Cys Met 355 360 365 Leu Gly Met Gly Ser Gly Gln Pro Asn Arg Leu Glu Ser Leu Arg Ile 370 375 380 Ala Phe Arg Lys Ala Gly Glu Glu Ala Lys Gly Ala Ala Leu Ala Ser 385 390 395 400 Asp Ala Phe Phe Pro Phe Ala Trp Asn Asp Ala Val Glu Glu Ala Cys 405 410 415 Gln Asn Gly Ile Gly Val Ile Ala Glu Pro Ser Gly Ser Met Arg Asp 420 425 430 Gly Asp Ala Val Asp Cys Cys Asn Lys Tyr Gly Val Ser Leu Leu Phe 435 440 445 Thr Gly Val Arg His Phe Arg His 450 455 51 461 DNA Glycine max 51 ttgggtgttt cttcctccgc cgcagccgct cctgctgctg ccacctcctc cactcaccac 60 cttctcagtg gaacccttca ctctccttct tccctctcaa cttcccatct atttcccaca 120 acttcggtgc gttcatcttc actgcacttc aggtgcgttc caatcaaagc catggctgaa 180 gttgatacta tagcagtgtc aaaaactgct tcttcttctg ctccgggcag caagcaagcc 240 ttgatatcat tgtcagacaa gaaggatctt gcatttgttg ggaatgggct ccaggaatta 300 ggatatacta ttgtttcaac tggaggaaca gcttctgcat tggagagtgc tggagtagct 360 gttactaaag ttgaaaagct cactaagttc cctgaaatgc ttgatggtcg tgtcaaaact 420 ttgcaaccta acatacatgg gggtatcctt gcccgaaggg a 461 52 77 PRT Glycine max 52 Ser Lys Gln Ala Leu Ile Ser Leu Ser Asp Lys Lys Asp Leu Ala Phe 1 5 10 15 Val Gly Asn Gly Leu Gln Glu Leu Gly Tyr Thr Ile Val Ser Thr Gly 20 25 30 Gly Thr Ala Ser Ala Leu Glu Ser Ala Gly Val Ala Val Thr Lys Val 35 40 45 Glu Lys Leu Thr Lys Phe Pro Glu Met Leu Asp Gly Arg Val Lys Thr 50 55 60 Leu Gln Pro Asn Ile His Gly Gly Ile Leu Ala Arg Arg 65 70 75 53 1206 DNA Triticum aestivum 53 cttggatgct gatgctgcat ggaattgtgt gtcagagttt gagaatccta cttgtgttgt 60 ggttaagcac accaatccgt gcggtgttgc atcccggcag gatgttcttg aggcatacag 120 gttggccgta agggcagatc ctgtgagtgc atttggcgga atcgttgcat tcaacaccac 180 agttgacgag gatcttgcaa aggagattcg cgagtttaga agtcctacag atggcgagac 240 tcggatgttc tatgagatcg tggtggcacc aggatacaca gagaagggcc tcgaggtcct 300 caaagggaaa tccaagacgt tgaggatcct tgaggcaaag agaagtgggg aaaacatgct 360 gtcgctcagg caggtcagtg gtggttggct agctcaagag tccgacgatc taaccccaga 420 agacatcacc ttcacgacgg gttctgagag agctccgacg acagtgagct atcggatgcc 480 aagttcgcct ggctctgcgt gaagcacgtc aagagcaacg ccattgtgat tgccaaggat 540 aattgcatgc tgggcatggg gagcgggcag ccaaacaggg tggacagcct gaggatcgcc 600 ttcaggaaag caggggaggc cgccaaggga gccgctctgg ccagcgacgc cttcttccca 660 ttcccttgga aggatgccgt ggaggaagcg tgtgagaacg gcatcggcac gatcgcgcag 720 cctggcggca gcatgaggga caaggatgcc gttgactgct gcaataagta cggcgtgtcc 780 ctcctcttca ccggcgtccg ccacttcagg cactgagcct aacctgagca cttaaggccg 840 tatcaccggt ctatcggtag tcagtccgcc gcggaaactt gcggatgttt gtcgcaataa 900 gacaggcgca ggtgattctg agtccaacta ggattaattg tatgacggtg gcggaagcat 960 tttgccacgt acgcaagtga ggacgcctag gtgttcgtca cattgctgag ccagcagcgg 1020 ctgggtaata acaaggtcgg aaaaccaggg gccatgtact agttaaacca agcaaaaact 1080 gtgtttgtat tcagacgtcg acatgaatcc aacttgtgag gccattctga ccttttcaaa 1140 aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa 1200 aaaaaa 1206 54 284 PRT Triticum aestivum 54 Leu Asp Ala Asp Ala Ala Trp Asn Cys Val Ser Glu Phe Glu Asn Pro 1 5 10 15 Thr Cys Val Val Val Lys His Thr Asn Pro Cys Gly Val Ala Ser Arg 20 25 30 Gln Asp Val Leu Glu Ala Tyr Arg Leu Ala Val Arg Ala Asp Pro Val 35 40 45 Ser Ala Phe Gly Gly Ile Val Ala Phe Asn Thr Thr Val Asp Glu Asp 50 55 60 Leu Ala Lys Glu Ile Arg Glu Phe Arg Ser Pro Thr Asp Gly Glu Thr 65 70 75 80 Arg Met Phe Tyr Glu Ile Val Val Ala Pro Gly Tyr Thr Glu Lys Gly 85 90 95 Leu Glu Val Leu Lys Gly Lys Ser Lys Thr Leu Arg Ile Leu Glu Ala 100 105 110 Lys Arg Ser Gly Glu Asn Met Leu Ser Leu Arg Gln Val Ser Gly Gly 115 120 125 Trp Leu Ala Gln Glu Ser Asp Asp Leu Thr Pro Glu Asp Ile Thr Phe 130 135 140 Thr Thr Gly Ser Glu Arg Ala Pro Thr Thr Val Ser Tyr Arg Met Pro 145 150 155 160 Ser Ser Pro Gly Ser Ala Asp Ser Glu Leu Ser Asp Ala Lys Phe Ala 165 170 175 Trp Leu Cys Val Lys His Val Lys Ser Asn Ala Ile Val Ile Ala Lys 180 185 190 Asp Asn Cys Met Leu Gly Met Gly Ser Gly Gln Pro Asn Arg Val Asp 195 200 205 Ser Leu Arg Ile Ala Phe Arg Lys Ala Gly Glu Ala Ala Lys Gly Ala 210 215 220 Ala Leu Ala Ser Asp Ala Phe Phe Pro Phe Pro Trp Lys Asp Ala Val 225 230 235 240 Glu Glu Ala Cys Glu Asn Gly Ile Gly Thr Ile Ala Gln Pro Gly Gly 245 250 255 Ser Met Arg Asp Lys Asp Ala Val Asp Cys Cys Asn Lys Tyr Gly Val 260 265 270 Ser Leu Leu Phe Thr Gly Val Arg His Phe Arg His 275 280 55 1097 DNA Zea mays 55 gatttgctaa cattgctcat ggaaactctt caattgttgc tgataagatt gctttgaagt 60 tggttgggaa gggtggcttt gttgttactg aggcaggttt tggtgctgat attggaactg 120 agaagttcat ggacatcaaa tgtaggtata gtggattggt gccgcagtgt gctattatcg 180 tggccacaat tagagctctt aaaatgcatg gaggggggcc tgaagtggtg gctggaaagc 240 ctctggatca tgcatatgtg agcgaaaatg tggcccttgt tgaagctgga tgtattaatc 300 ttgctaaaca tatatcaaac acgaggagtt atggagttaa tgttgtagtt gcaatcaaca 360 aatttgcatc agatactgag gcagaaatga aggcagtgca cagtgcagct atggctgctg 420 gtgcttttga cgctgttgtc tgcacacacc atgcccatgg tggtaaagga gcggttgagc 480 ttggacttgc tgttcaacga gcatgcgaaa gccaggcaga acctctgaag tttttgtatc 540 ccttggaatc tagcataaag gagaagattg agtcaattgc taagttctat ggtgctagtg 600 gcgttgaata ttccgagcag gctgagaagc agattgagat gtacaccaag caagggttct 660 ccagcctccc catttgcatg gcgaagaccc agtactcatt ctcacatgtc ccgtccatga 720 agggcgcccc gaccggcttt gttctgccga taagagacgt gagggccagc atcggcgctg 780 ggttcatcta cccgctcgtg ggcaccatga gcacgatgcc tggccttccc accagaccct 840 gcttctacca gatcgacgtc gacactgcca ccgggaaggt catggggctg tcatgaattg 900 aagtccctga tggtatcatt cagagaacgt aaattcgggg cattcctgga tcgagttaaa 960 taagagccgt tcctggcatc ctgcaagttc agtgccgctt ccttttactt gattttgtaa 1020 accggagact gtaaatgtgc ttgaaccgtg cttttagacc catgcctgaa atcctgcatc 1080 caataagcgt ctcggca 1097 56 297 PRT Zea mays 56 Phe Ala Asn Ile Ala His Gly Asn Ser Ser Ile Val Ala Asp Lys Ile 1 5 10 15 Ala Leu Lys Leu Val Gly Lys Gly Gly Phe Val Val Thr Glu Ala Gly 20 25 30 Phe Gly Ala Asp Ile Gly Thr Glu Lys Phe Met Asp Ile Lys Cys Arg 35 40 45 Tyr Ser Gly Leu Val Pro Gln Cys Ala Ile Ile Val Ala Thr Ile Arg 50 55 60 Ala Leu Lys Met His Gly Gly Gly Pro Glu Val Val Ala Gly Lys Pro 65 70 75 80 Leu Asp His Ala Tyr Val Ser Glu Asn Val Ala Leu Val Glu Ala Gly 85 90 95 Cys Ile Asn Leu Ala Lys His Ile Ser Asn Thr Arg Ser Tyr Gly Val 100 105 110 Asn Val Val Val Ala Ile Asn Lys Phe Ala Ser Asp Thr Glu Ala Glu 115 120 125 Met Lys Ala Val His Ser Ala Ala Met Ala Ala Gly Ala Phe Asp Ala 130 135 140 Val Val Cys Thr His His Ala His Gly Gly Lys Gly Ala Val Glu Leu 145 150 155 160 Gly Leu Ala Val Gln Arg Ala Cys Glu Ser Gln Ala Glu Pro Leu Lys 165 170 175 Phe Leu Tyr Pro Leu Glu Ser Ser Ile Lys Glu Lys Ile Glu Ser Ile 180 185 190 Ala Lys Phe Tyr Gly Ala Ser Gly Val Glu Tyr Ser Glu Gln Ala Glu 195 200 205 Lys Gln Ile Glu Met Tyr Thr Lys Gln Gly Phe Ser Ser Leu Pro Ile 210 215 220 Cys Met Ala Lys Thr Gln Tyr Ser Phe Ser His Val Pro Ser Met Lys 225 230 235 240 Gly Ala Pro Thr Gly Phe Val Leu Pro Ile Arg Asp Val Arg Ala Ser 245 250 255 Ile Gly Ala Gly Phe Ile Tyr Pro Leu Val Gly Thr Met Ser Thr Met 260 265 270 Pro Gly Leu Pro Thr Arg Pro Cys Phe Tyr Gln Ile Asp Val Asp Thr 275 280 285 Ala Thr Gly Lys Val Met Gly Leu Ser 290 295 57 1027 DNA Oryza sativa 57 gcacgagctt acaattagag ctcttaaaat gcatggtggg ggccctgatg ttgtggctgg 60 gaagcctttg gatcatgcat atgtgagtga aaatgtggct cttgttgaag ctggatgcgt 120 caatcttgct aaacatatcg caaacacaaa gagttatgga gttaatgttg tagttgcaat 180 caacaagttt gcatcagata ctgaagcaga aatggacgtg gtgcgaaatg cgtctttggc 240 tgctggtgct tttgatgctg ttgtctgcac tcaccatgcg catggtggta aaggagcggt 300 tgatcttgga ctcgcggttc aacgggcatg tgagagccag gcagaccctc tgaaattttt 360 gtatccttta gaatctggca taaaggagaa gattgagtca atagctaagt tctatggtgc 420 tagcggcgtt gaatactctg aacaggcgga gaagcagatt gaaatgtata ccaagcaagg 480 cttctcaaac ctcccaatat gcatggcgaa aactcagtac tcgttttcgc atgttccatc 540 catgaagggc gcgccgtctg gcttcgtgct tcctatcagg gatgtgaggg ccagcattgg 600 agccggtttc atctacccac tggttggcac catgagcaca atgcctggtc ttcctacaag 660 gccctgcttc tacgaaatcg acgtcgacac agccactggc aaagtcatgg gtctgtcata 720 agcgtttctg gaatggattg caatttgggg cacaattgtg tagttgcaaa ttttgggaca 780 ttcccttagc tgaataatag cctcagtggc ttcctgcaag tgcagcaata catttttctt 840 tttgagtttc ttggtgactg taaatcagta aatgtggtcg aaccatactg ttcagactct 900 gttccaatgc cccatgtttc agcttaacat gctttctctg attcttccaa aaaaaaaaaa 960 aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa aaaaacaaaa aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa 1020 aaaaaaa 1027 58 239 PRT Oryza sativa 58 His Glu Leu Thr Ile Arg Ala Leu Lys Met His Gly Gly Gly Pro Asp 1 5 10 15 Val Val Ala Gly Lys Pro Leu Asp His Ala Tyr Val Ser Glu Asn Val 20 25 30 Ala Leu Val Glu Ala Gly Cys Val Asn Leu Ala Lys His Ile Ala Asn 35 40 45 Thr Lys Ser Tyr Gly Val Asn Val Val Val Ala Ile Asn Lys Phe Ala 50 55 60 Ser Asp Thr Glu Ala Glu Met Asp Val Val Arg Asn Ala Ser Leu Ala 65 70 75 80 Ala Gly Ala Phe Asp Ala Val Val Cys Thr His His Ala His Gly Gly 85 90 95 Lys Gly Ala Val Asp Leu Gly Leu Ala Val Gln Arg Ala Cys Glu Ser 100 105 110 Gln Ala Asp Pro Leu Lys Phe Leu Tyr Pro Leu Glu Ser Gly Ile Lys 115 120 125 Glu Lys Ile Glu Ser Ile Ala Lys Phe Tyr Gly Ala Ser Gly Val Glu 130 135 140 Tyr Ser Glu Gln Ala Glu Lys Gln Ile Glu Met Tyr Thr Lys Gln Gly 145 150 155 160 Phe Ser Asn Leu Pro Ile Cys Met Ala Lys Thr Gln Tyr Ser Phe Ser 165 170 175 His Val Pro Ser Met Lys Gly Ala Pro Ser Gly Phe Val Leu Pro Ile 180 185 190 Arg Asp Val Arg Ala Ser Ile Gly Ala Gly Phe Ile Tyr Pro Leu Val 195 200 205 Gly Thr Met Ser Thr Met Pro Gly Leu Pro Thr Arg Pro Cys Phe Tyr 210 215 220 Glu Ile Asp Val Asp Thr Ala Thr Gly Lys Val Met Gly Leu Ser 225 230 235 59 2202 DNA Glycine max 59 gcacgagctg aaatcttagt ttctgcccga aactgaaact gaatcgaaat tcaatacaat 60 gagttcctca actacagtga ggaagttgca ggtggtgtcc cctgttcctg cggacataga 120 cattgcaaac tccgttgaac ccgttcatat ctcccagatt gccaaagacc tcaaccttag 180 tcccaatcac tatgaccttt acggtaaata caaggctaag gttttgttgt cggttcttga 240 tgagcttcaa ggatcagaag atgggtatta tgttgtggtc ggaggcatta ctccgactcc 300 tctcggggaa ggcaaatcta ctactacagt ggggctctgt caagctttag gtgcttttct 360 tgataaaaag gtagtcacct gccttcgtca accatcgcaa ggacctactt ttggaattaa 420 aggaggtgca gctggtggtg gctatagcca agttattccc atggatgaat tcaatcttca 480 tctaacagga gatattcatg caataactgc agcaaacaat cttctagctg ctgcaattga 540 tacccgaatt ttccatgagt caacacagtc agataaggct ctttttaacc ggttgtgccc 600 tccaaataaa gaagggaaaa ggagctttag tgatgtcatg ttcaggcgtc ttacgaagct 660 tggcatttca aagaccaatc cagatgatct tacaccagaa gaagtaaata aatttgctag 720 gcttgatatt gacccaaatt ctatcacatg gaggagagta atggacatca atgatcgatt 780 cttgagaaaa attgctattg gccagggacc tgacgagaaa ggaatggtga gagaaacagg 840 ctttgatatt tcagttgcta gtgagattat ggctgttttg gcactgacaa catccttagc 900 tgatatgcga gagaggcttg ggaaaatggt tattgggaat agcaagagtg gtgaccctgt 960 aactgctgat gatctaggtg ttggaggtgc tttaacagtt ttaatgaagg atgccattca 1020 ccctaccctt atgcagactc tggaaggaac tcctgttctt gttcatgcag gtccatttgc 1080 aaatattgct catgggaatt cttctattgt ggctgataag attgcactaa agttagttgg 1140 accaggtgga tttgtagtta ctgaagctgg ttttggtgct gatattggag ctgaaaagtt 1200 tatgaacatt aagtgtcgtt atagtggttt gacacctcaa tgtgcgatta ttgtggcaac 1260 tatcagagca ctaaaaatgc atggtggagg gcctgcagtt gttgctggaa gacctcttga 1320 ccatgcatat ttgactgaaa atgttgccct ggttgaggct ggttgtgtga acatggcacg 1380 acatatatca aatacaaaat cttatggtgt aaatgttgta gttgccatca acaagttttc 1440 aactgacact gaagccgagc taaatgcagt tcgaagtgct gcattagctg ctggagctta 1500 tgatgctgta atttgtaccc atcatgcgaa tggtggcaaa ggagccgttg acctgggcat 1560 tgcagttcaa aaagcctgcg agaatgtgac acagccattg aagttcctgt atcctgttga 1620 cctgagtata aaagagaaaa tagaggcaat agcaaagtca tatggagcca gtggtgttga 1680 gtactcagaa caggctgaga agcagattga gatgtatagc aagcaaggat tttcaggtct 1740 tccaatatgc atggctaaga ctcagtattc tttctcagac aatgctgcag caaagggagc 1800 tccaagtggg tttgtcttac ccataaggga tgtaagagct agtataggcg ctggatttat 1860 ttatccttta gttggaacaa tgagtacgat gccagggctt cctacaaggc catgcttcta 1920 tgacattgat ctggatacaa caactggaaa agtcattggt ctctcttaaa tcaaagtgac 1980 ttgttctatc acctttcaaa agctttatgg atgtcattta catatctccc tttgcgatgt 2040 tcatgaacct cacagtaaca ttcctccttg tttgtttgcg tgcttggtga tctgtatgaa 2100 tgaaataaat acgtgattta aggaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa 2160 aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa aa 2202 60 636 PRT Glycine max 60 Met Ser Ser Ser Thr Thr Val Arg Lys Leu Gln Val Val Ser Pro Val 1 5 10 15 Pro Ala Asp Ile Asp Ile Ala Asn Ser Val Glu Pro Val His Ile Ser 20 25 30 Gln Ile Ala Lys Asp Leu Asn Leu Ser Pro Asn His Tyr Asp Leu Tyr 35 40 45 Gly Lys Tyr Lys Ala Lys Val Leu Leu Ser Val Leu Asp Glu Leu Gln 50 55 60 Gly Ser Glu Asp Gly Tyr Tyr Val Val Val Gly Gly Ile Thr Pro Thr 65 70 75 80 Pro Leu Gly Glu Gly Lys Ser Thr Thr Thr Val Gly Leu Cys Gln Ala 85 90 95 Leu Gly Ala Phe Leu Asp Lys Lys Val Val Thr Cys Leu Arg Gln Pro 100 105 110 Ser Gln Gly Pro Thr Phe Gly Ile Lys Gly Gly Ala Ala Gly Gly Gly 115 120 125 Tyr Ser Gln Val Ile Pro Met Asp Glu Phe Asn Leu His Leu Thr Gly 130 135 140 Asp Ile His Ala Ile Thr Ala Ala Asn Asn Leu Leu Ala Ala Ala Ile 145 150 155 160 Asp Thr Arg Ile Phe His Glu Ser Thr Gln Ser Asp Lys Ala Leu Phe 165 170 175 Asn Arg Leu Cys Pro Pro Asn Lys Glu Gly Lys Arg Ser Phe Ser Asp 180 185 190 Val Met Phe Arg Arg Leu Thr Lys Leu Gly Ile Ser Lys Thr Asn Pro 195 200 205 Asp Asp Leu Thr Pro Glu Glu Val Asn Lys Phe Ala Arg Leu Asp Ile 210 215 220 Asp Pro Asn Ser Ile Thr Trp Arg Arg Val Met Asp Ile Asn Asp Arg 225 230 235 240 Phe Leu Arg Lys Ile Ala Ile Gly Gln Gly Pro Asp Glu Lys Gly Met 245 250 255 Val Arg Glu Thr Gly Phe Asp Ile Ser Val Ala Ser Glu Ile Met Ala 260 265 270 Val Leu Ala Leu Thr Thr Ser Leu Ala Asp Met Arg Glu Arg Leu Gly 275 280 285 Lys Met Val Ile Gly Asn Ser Lys Ser Gly Asp Pro Val Thr Ala Asp 290 295 300 Asp Leu Gly Val Gly Gly Ala Leu Thr Val Leu Met Lys Asp Ala Ile 305 310 315 320 His Pro Thr Leu Met Gln Thr Leu Glu Gly Thr Pro Val Leu Val His 325 330 335 Ala Gly Pro Phe Ala Asn Ile Ala His Gly Asn Ser Ser Ile Val Ala 340 345 350 Asp Lys Ile Ala Leu Lys Leu Val Gly Pro Gly Gly Phe Val Val Thr 355 360 365 Glu Ala Gly Phe Gly Ala Asp Ile Gly Ala Glu Lys Phe Met Asn Ile 370 375 380 Lys Cys Arg Tyr Ser Gly Leu Thr Pro Gln Cys Ala Ile Ile Val Ala 385 390 395 400 Thr Ile Arg Ala Leu Lys Met His Gly Gly Gly Pro Ala Val Val Ala 405 410 415 Gly Arg Pro Leu Asp His Ala Tyr Leu Thr Glu Asn Val Ala Leu Val 420 425 430 Glu Ala Gly Cys Val Asn Met Ala Arg His Ile Ser Asn Thr Lys Ser 435 440 445 Tyr Gly Val Asn Val Val Val Ala Ile Asn Lys Phe Ser Thr Asp Thr 450 455 460 Glu Ala Glu Leu Asn Ala Val Arg Ser Ala Ala Leu Ala Ala Gly Ala 465 470 475 480 Tyr Asp Ala Val Ile Cys Thr His His Ala Asn Gly Gly Lys Gly Ala 485 490 495 Val Asp Leu Gly Ile Ala Val Gln Lys Ala Cys Glu Asn Val Thr Gln 500 505 510 Pro Leu Lys Phe Leu Tyr Pro Val Asp Leu Ser Ile Lys Glu Lys Ile 515 520 525 Glu Ala Ile Ala Lys Ser Tyr Gly Ala Ser Gly Val Glu Tyr Ser Glu 530 535 540 Gln Ala Glu Lys Gln Ile Glu Met Tyr Ser Lys Gln Gly Phe Ser Gly 545 550 555 560 Leu Pro Ile Cys Met Ala Lys Thr Gln Tyr Ser Phe Ser Asp Asn Ala 565 570 575 Ala Ala Lys Gly Ala Pro Ser Gly Phe Val Leu Pro Ile Arg Asp Val 580 585 590 Arg Ala Ser Ile Gly Ala Gly Phe Ile Tyr Pro Leu Val Gly Thr Met 595 600 605 Ser Thr Met Pro Gly Leu Pro Thr Arg Pro Cys Phe Tyr Asp Ile Asp 610 615 620 Leu Asp Thr Thr Thr Gly Lys Val Ile Gly Leu Ser 625 630 635 61 1021 DNA Triticum aestivum 61 gcacgagggg actgagaaat tcatggacat aaagtgtagg tatagtggat tgacacctca 60 gtgtgctatt attgtggcca caattagggc tcttaaaatg catggaggag gcccagatgt 120 tgtggctggg aagcctttag atcatgcata tgtcagtgaa aatgtggctc ttgttgaagc 180 tggatgtgtt aatcttgcta agcacatctc aaacacaaag ggttatggag tgaatgttgt 240 agtagcaatc aacaaatttg caacagacac agacgctgaa atggaagttg tgaaaaaggc 300 ggctatggca gctggggctt tcgatgctgt cgtctgctcc caccatgcac acggtggtaa 360 aggagcggtt gatcttggag tcgctgttca aagagcatgt gaaagccagg cagagcccct 420 gaagttttta tatcctttag attctagcat aaaagagaag attgagtcaa tagctaagtt 480 ctatggtgct agtggtgttg aatactctga acaggccgaa aagcaaattg agatgtacac 540 caagcaaggc ttctccaacc tcccgatatg catggcgaag actcagtact ccttttctca 600 tgttccatcc atgaagggcg cgccgtcagg cttcgtgctg ccgataagag acgtgcgggc 660 cagcatcgga gccggtttca tctacccgct cgtcgggacc atgagcacaa tgcctggtct 720 ccctacaagg ccctgcttct atgaaatcga catcgacacg gccaccggca aagtcatggg 780 tctgtcatga gcttcgctgg gcaccgtttc taggctggtg gtcctgtgct gttgcgcaat 840 tgaatcgaca gtgtgcagtt tcaattttgg ggacatttcc tgaagcagaa taaacgaata 900 atggccgcat cgggtggctt ggtgcgattg tggggggtag tacatttcag ttacctgatg 960 gatgtagatt tggtcgaacc atagcgtctg tctgtactct gttggtgttc cttatgtttt 1020 g 1021 62 262 PRT Triticum aestivum 62 His Glu Gly Thr Glu Lys Phe Met Asp Ile Lys Cys Arg Tyr Ser Gly 1 5 10 15 Leu Thr Pro Gln Cys Ala Ile Ile Val Ala Thr Ile Arg Ala Leu Lys 20 25 30 Met His Gly Gly Gly Pro Asp Val Val Ala Gly Lys Pro Leu Asp His 35 40 45 Ala Tyr Val Ser Glu Asn Val Ala Leu Val Glu Ala Gly Cys Val Asn 50 55 60 Leu Ala Lys His Ile Ser Asn Thr Lys Gly Tyr Gly Val Asn Val Val 65 70 75 80 Val Ala Ile Asn Lys Phe Ala Thr Asp Thr Asp Ala Glu Met Glu Val 85 90 95 Val Lys Lys Ala Ala Met Ala Ala Gly Ala Phe Asp Ala Val Val Cys 100 105 110 Ser His His Ala His Gly Gly Lys Gly Ala Val Asp Leu Gly Val Ala 115 120 125 Val Gln Arg Ala Cys Glu Ser Gln Ala Glu Pro Leu Lys Phe Leu Tyr 130 135 140 Pro Leu Asp Ser Ser Ile Lys Glu Lys Ile Glu Ser Ile Ala Lys Phe 145 150 155 160 Tyr Gly Ala Ser Gly Val Glu Tyr Ser Glu Gln Ala Glu Lys Gln Ile 165 170 175 Glu Met Tyr Thr Lys Gln Gly Phe Ser Asn Leu Pro Ile Cys Met Ala 180 185 190 Lys Thr Gln Tyr Ser Phe Ser His Val Pro Ser Met Lys Gly Ala Pro 195 200 205 Ser Gly Phe Val Leu Pro Ile Arg Asp Val Arg Ala Ser Ile Gly Ala 210 215 220 Gly Phe Ile Tyr Pro Leu Val Gly Thr Met Ser Thr Met Pro Gly Leu 225 230 235 240 Pro Thr Arg Pro Cys Phe Tyr Glu Ile Asp Ile Asp Thr Ala Thr Gly 245 250 255 Lys Val Met Gly Leu Ser 260 63 536 DNA Zea mays unsure (329) unsure (378) unsure (390) unsure (406) unsure (410) unsure (419) unsure (425) unsure (442) unsure (457) unsure (465) unsure (470) unsure (477) unsure (479) unsure (485) unsure (494) unsure (508) unsure (520) unsure (525) unsure (531) 63 catctaatca atcaagacag ccccgtgcta gctcacccgc cggggctcgc cacgatgaga 60 ggcctcctcg cgtgcgccac cctcgcccgc cgcgccgccg cctcctccgc gcccgcgcgc 120 gtccgccacc tggcgggcgc cgcggaggcg gcggaggccg agctcaagag gacggcgctc 180 tacgacttcc acgtcgccca cggcggcaag atggtgccgt tcgccggctg gagcatgccc 240 atccagtaca gggactccat catggactcc accgtcaact gccgcgccaa cggcagcctc 300 ttcgacgtcg cccacatgtg cggcctcang cctcaagggc cgcggggcca ttcccttcct 360 cgagtccctc cgtcgtcncc cgaacggtcn ccgcggctca agggancggn aacggtacnc 420 ttcanctgtc cttcaacaaa cnagcagggg ctgggcncca tccgncgaan tcctctnant 480 cggcncaaag gtcnactgat caaccaanaa tctacctctn gtctnttaaa ngcctg 536 64 105 PRT Zea mays UNSURE (92) 64 Met Arg Gly Leu Leu Ala Cys Ala Thr Leu Ala Arg Arg Ala Ala Ala 1 5 10 15 Ser Ser Ala Pro Ala Arg Val Arg His Leu Ala Gly Ala Ala Glu Ala 20 25 30 Ala Glu Ala Glu Leu Lys Arg Thr Ala Leu Tyr Asp Phe His Val Ala 35 40 45 His Gly Gly Lys Met Val Pro Phe Ala Gly Trp Ser Met Pro Ile Gln 50 55 60 Tyr Arg Asp Ser Ile Met Asp Ser Thr Val Asn Cys Arg Ala Asn Gly 65 70 75 80 Ser Leu Phe Asp Val Ala His Met Cys Gly Leu Xaa Leu Lys Gly Arg 85 90 95 Gly Ala Ile Pro Phe Leu Glu Ser Leu 100 105 65 500 DNA Oryza sativa unsure (286) unsure (305) unsure (311) unsure (384) unsure (409) unsure (411) unsure (418) unsure (436) unsure (455) unsure (464) unsure (472) unsure (489) unsure (494) 65 gtttaaaccg gtggtgaaag aagatgagag ggctactcgc gtgcgccacg ctcgcccgcc 60 gcgccgccgg cgcgacgtcg acggcgcggc ggcacctggc gggcgcggcc gaggcggcgg 120 aggcggagct gaagaagacg gcgctgtacg acttccacgt cgcgcacggc gggaagatgg 180 tgccgttcgc cgggtggagc atgcccatcc agtacaagga caccatcatg gactccaccc 240 tcaactgccg cgccaacggc agcctcttcg acgtctccca catgtncggc ctcagcctcc 300 acggncgcca ngccatcccc ttcctcgatc cctcgtcgtc gcgactctcg gcgctcaaag 360 gacggaacgg gagctcacct tttnaacaaa cgaccgctgc ggggcatcna natccgtntt 420 acaaggcacc ggacancaat cactccgtgt caacncgggt gcangacatg tntccccaca 480 ttgggagana tggngctcaa 500 66 159 PRT Oryza sativa UNSURE (88) UNSURE (96) UNSURE (121) UNSURE (129)..(130) UNSURE (132) UNSURE (138) UNSURE (147) UNSURE (150) UNSURE (156) 66 Met Arg Gly Leu Leu Ala Cys Ala Thr Leu Ala Arg Arg Ala Ala Gly 1 5 10 15 Ala Thr Ser Thr Ala Arg Arg His Leu Ala Gly Ala Ala Glu Ala Ala 20 25 30 Glu Ala Glu Leu Lys Lys Thr Ala Leu Tyr Asp Phe His Val Ala His 35 40 45 Gly Gly Lys Met Val Pro Phe Ala Gly Trp Ser Met Pro Ile Gln Tyr 50 55 60 Lys Asp Thr Ile Met Asp Ser Thr Leu Asn Cys Arg Ala Asn Gly Ser 65 70 75 80 Leu Phe Asp Val Ser His Met Xaa Gly Leu Ser Leu His Gly Arg Xaa 85 90 95 Ala Ile Pro Phe Leu Asp Pro Ser Ser Ser Arg Leu Ser Ala Leu Lys 100 105 110 Gly Arg Asn Gly Ser Ser Pro Phe Xaa Gln Thr Thr Ala Ala Gly His 115 120 125 Xaa Xaa Pro Xaa Tyr Lys Ala Pro Asp Xaa Asn His Ser Val Ser Thr 130 135 140 Arg Val Xaa Asp Met Xaa Pro His Ile Gly Arg Xaa Gly Ala Gln 145 150 155 67 1431 DNA Glycine max 67 gcacgagaag ccttcctctc tgcagagtgc agagctttct ctccccgttg cttcattcat 60 tctcaacaac aaaccaatct ttcttagaaa atgagggggg gcttgtggca acttgggcaa 120 tcgatcactc gccgtcttgc ccatggagat aagaaggctg ttgctcgtcg atgttttgcc 180 tcagaagctg agctgaaaaa gacagtgttt catgacttcc atgttgctca tggtgggaag 240 atggttccat ttgctgggtg gagcatgcca atccaataca aggactcaat catggactct 300 accatcaact gtagggagaa tggtagcctc tttgatgttt cccatatgtg tgggctgagc 360 ctcaaaggga aggacgctgc cccattcctt gaaaagctgg tcattgccga tgttgctggg 420 cttgcccctg gaactgggac gttgactgtt ttcacaaatg aaaagggagg tgcaattgat 480 gattcagtaa ttactaaggt gacggatgac cacatatatt tggttgtgaa tgctggctgc 540 agggataaag atctggctca tattgaggaa cacatgaaag cattcaaggc caaaggtggt 600 gatgtgtctt ggcacatcca cgatgagaga tccctacttg ctctgcaggg tcctcttgct 660 gcccccgttc ttcaacacct gacaaaagag gatttgagca agctctactt tggggagttc 720 cgtgtgttgg acatcaatgg ctcagagtgt tttcttacca ggacagggta tactggggaa 780 gatggatttg agatctcagt tccttcagag catggagtag atcttgccaa agcaatactg 840 gaaaaatctg aagggaaggt aagattgaca ggattgggag ctagagatag tctgcgactt 900 gaagctggat tgtgcttata tggaaatgac atggaacagc acattacacc tattgaggca 960 ggactaacat gggctatagg gaagaggagg agagcagaag gtggttttct aggagctgat 1020 gttatcctga aacagcttga agaaggtcct aaaatcaggc gtgttggttt cttttcttct 1080 ggtccacctc ccagaagcca cagtgagatt caagatgaag gaggcaacaa cattggggaa 1140 atcaccagtg gtggattcag tccttgcctc cagaagaaca tagccatggg atatgtgaaa 1200 tctggattgc acaaggcagc caccaaagta aagattatta ttcggggaaa acccaatgaa 1260 ggagtcgtta caaaaatgcc atttgtacca acaaaatact ataagccttc ctgatttact 1320 tctgtattta tatcttaaac atttcctaat tgctctctcc cttgttgaca aattttccca 1380 taatcgagtg ttacagtcac tgttaatgac ttaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa a 1431 68 407 PRT Glycine max 68 Met Arg Gly Gly Leu Trp Gln Leu Gly Gln Ser Ile Thr Arg Arg Leu 1 5 10 15 Ala His Gly Asp Lys Lys Ala Val Ala Arg Arg Cys Phe Ala Ser Glu 20 25 30 Ala Glu Leu Lys Lys Thr Val Phe His Asp Phe His Val Ala His Gly 35 40 45 Gly Lys Met Val Pro Phe Ala Gly Trp Ser Met Pro Ile Gln Tyr Lys 50 55 60 Asp Ser Ile Met Asp Ser Thr Ile Asn Cys Arg Glu Asn Gly Ser Leu 65 70 75 80 Phe Asp Val Ser His Met Cys Gly Leu Ser Leu Lys Gly Lys Asp Ala 85 90 95 Ala Pro Phe Leu Glu Lys Leu Val Ile Ala Asp Val Ala Gly Leu Ala 100 105 110 Pro Gly Thr Gly Thr Leu Thr Val Phe Thr Asn Glu Lys Gly Gly Ala 115 120 125 Ile Asp Asp Ser Val Ile Thr Lys Val Thr Asp Asp His Ile Tyr Leu 130 135 140 Val Val Asn Ala Gly Cys Arg Asp Lys Asp Leu Ala His Ile Glu Glu 145 150 155 160 His Met Lys Ala Phe Lys Ala Lys Gly Gly Asp Val Ser Trp His Ile 165 170 175 His Asp Glu Arg Ser Leu Leu Ala Leu Gln Gly Pro Leu Ala Ala Pro 180 185 190 Val Leu Gln His Leu Thr Lys Glu Asp Leu Ser Lys Leu Tyr Phe Gly 195 200 205 Glu Phe Arg Val Leu Asp Ile Asn Gly Ser Glu Cys Phe Leu Thr Arg 210 215 220 Thr Gly Tyr Thr Gly Glu Asp Gly Phe Glu Ile Ser Val Pro Ser Glu 225 230 235 240 His Gly Val Asp Leu Ala Lys Ala Ile Leu Glu Lys Ser Glu Gly Lys 245 250 255 Val Arg Leu Thr Gly Leu Gly Ala Arg Asp Ser Leu Arg Leu Glu Ala 260 265 270 Gly Leu Cys Leu Tyr Gly Asn Asp Met Glu Gln His Ile Thr Pro Ile 275 280 285 Glu Ala Gly Leu Thr Trp Ala Ile Gly Lys Arg Arg Arg Ala Glu Gly 290 295 300 Gly Phe Leu Gly Ala Asp Val Ile Leu Lys Gln Leu Glu Glu Gly Pro 305 310 315 320 Lys Ile Arg Arg Val Gly Phe Phe Ser Ser Gly Pro Pro Pro Arg Ser 325 330 335 His Ser Glu Ile Gln Asp Glu Gly Gly Asn Asn Ile Gly Glu Ile Thr 340 345 350 Ser Gly Gly Phe Ser Pro Cys Leu Gln Lys Asn Ile Ala Met Gly Tyr 355 360 365 Val Lys Ser Gly Leu His Lys Ala Ala Thr Lys Val Lys Ile Ile Ile 370 375 380 Arg Gly Lys Pro Asn Glu Gly Val Val Thr Lys Met Pro Phe Val Pro 385 390 395 400 Thr Lys Tyr Tyr Lys Pro Ser 405 69 1468 DNA Triticum aestivum 69 gcacgaggct agctcacccg ccggggctcg ccacgatgag aggcctcctc gcgtgcgcca 60 ccctcgcccg ccgcgccgcc gcctcctccg cgcccgcgcg cgtccgccac ctggcgggcg 120 ccgcggaggc ggcggaggcc gagctcaaga ggacggcgct ctacgacttc cacgtcgccc 180 acggcggcaa gatggtgccg ttcgccggct ggagcatgcc catccagtac agggactcca 240 tcatggactc caccgtcaac tgccgcgcca acggcagcct cttcgacgtc gcccacatgt 300 gcggcctcag cctcaatggc cgcggggcca tccccttcct cgagtccctc gtcgtcgccg 360 acgtcgccgc gctcagggac ggcaccggca ccctcaccgt cttcaccaac gagcagggcg 420 gcgccatcga cgactccgtc atcgccaagg tcaccgacca ccacatctac ctcgtcgtca 480 acgccggatg cagggacaag gacctcgccc acatcgaggc gcacatggag gccttcaaca 540 agaagggcgg ggacgtcaag tggcacatcc acgacgaccg atcgctgctc gcattgcagg 600 gtcctcttgc tgcacctact ctgcagttgc tgacgaaaga agatttgagc aaaatgtact 660 tcagtgactt caagatgatt gacatcaatg gatatgcatg ctttctgacg agaactggct 720 acaccggcga agatggtttt gagatctctg ttccgtcaga gaatgcagtg gatcttgcag 780 aggccatcct agagagatcg gaaggcaagg tgcggctgac cggcttgggc gcccgtgaca 840 gtctccgact ggaggcaggc ctgtgcctgt acggcaacga catggagcag cacatcacgc 900 cggtggaagc cggcctctca tgggcgatcg gcaagaggag gagggcagag ggcggtttcc 960 tgggcgcaga cgtgatcctg aagcagctcc aggaagggcc aaagatcagg cgcgtgggca 1020 tggtcacgca ggggccgccc gcgcggagcc acagcgagct ggtgagcggc tcgggggaga 1080 ggatcggcga ggtgaccagc ggagggttca gcccgtgcct gaagaagaac atcgctatgg 1140 gctacgtgaa gtcgggaatg cacaaggctg ggacggagtt gaaggtggtc gttcgcggga 1200 agtcctacga cgccgtggtc accaagatgc cgttcgtgcc caccaagtac tacaagccct 1260 cgtagattat attcttgtac agagggacgc cttgcgtttc tcttttgtcg ttgcggcttg 1320 ttcttggcag attggttaag cattgcaact gtaacttctg tgagattgtc ttacggttca 1380 catttcatgt atgcctgcct aataagcctt cttttcccaa atacaaagca tgcatgtgcc 1440 tatgtgaaga aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaa 1468 70 401 PRT Triticum aestivum 70 Thr Leu Ala Arg Arg Ala Ala Ala Ser Ser Ala Pro Ala Arg Val Arg 1 5 10 15 His Leu Ala Gly Ala Ala Glu Ala Ala Glu Ala Glu Leu Lys Arg Thr 20 25 30 Ala Leu Tyr Asp Phe His Val Ala His Gly Gly Lys Met Val Pro Phe 35 40 45 Ala Gly Trp Ser Met Pro Ile Gln Tyr Arg Asp Ser Ile Met Asp Ser 50 55 60 Thr Val Asn Cys Arg Ala Asn Gly Ser Leu Phe Asp Val Ala His Met 65 70 75 80 Cys Gly Leu Ser Leu Asn Gly Arg Gly Ala Ile Pro Phe Leu Glu Ser 85 90 95 Leu Val Val Ala Asp Val Ala Ala Leu Arg Asp Gly Thr Gly Thr Leu 100 105 110 Thr Val Phe Thr Asn Glu Gln Gly Gly Ala Ile Asp Asp Ser Val Ile 115 120 125 Ala Lys Val Thr Asp His His Ile Tyr Leu Val Val Asn Ala Gly Cys 130 135 140 Arg Asp Lys Asp Leu Ala His Ile Glu Ala His Met Glu Ala Phe Asn 145 150 155 160 Lys Lys Gly Gly Asp Val Lys Trp His Ile His Asp Asp Arg Ser Leu 165 170 175 Leu Ala Leu Gln Gly Pro Leu Ala Ala Pro Thr Leu Gln Leu Leu Thr 180 185 190 Lys Glu Asp Leu Ser Lys Met Tyr Phe Ser Asp Phe Lys Met Ile Asp 195 200 205 Ile Asn Gly Tyr Ala Cys Phe Leu Thr Arg Thr Gly Tyr Thr Gly Glu 210 215 220 Asp Gly Phe Glu Ile Ser Val Pro Ser Glu Asn Ala Val Asp Leu Ala 225 230 235 240 Glu Ala Ile Leu Glu Arg Ser Glu Gly Lys Val Arg Leu Thr Gly Leu 245 250 255 Gly Ala Arg Asp Ser Leu Arg Leu Glu Ala Gly Leu Cys Leu Tyr Gly 260 265 270 Asn Asp Met Glu Gln His Ile Thr Pro Val Glu Ala Gly Leu Ser Trp 275 280 285 Ala Ile Gly Lys Arg Arg Arg Ala Glu Gly Gly Phe Leu Gly Ala Asp 290 295 300 Val Ile Leu Lys Gln Leu Gln Glu Gly Pro Lys Ile Arg Arg Val Gly 305 310 315 320 Met Val Thr Gln Gly Pro Pro Ala Arg Ser His Ser Glu Leu Val Ser 325 330 335 Gly Ser Gly Glu Arg Ile Gly Glu Val Thr Ser Gly Gly Phe Ser Pro 340 345 350 Cys Leu Lys Lys Asn Ile Ala Met Gly Tyr Val Lys Ser Gly Met His 355 360 365 Lys Ala Gly Thr Glu Leu Lys Val Val Val Arg Gly Lys Ser Tyr Asp 370 375 380 Ala Val Val Thr Lys Met Pro Phe Val Pro Thr Lys Tyr Tyr Lys Pro 385 390 395 400 Ser 

What is claimed is:
 1. An isolated polynucleotide comprising a first nucleotide sequence encoding a serine hydroxymethylase polypeptide of at least 100 amino acids that has at least 90% identity based on the Clustal method of alignment when compared to a polypeptide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:2, 4, 6, 8, 34, 36, 38, and 40, or a second nucleotide sequence comprising the complement of the first nucleotide sequence.
 2. An isolated polynucleotide comprising a first nucleotide sequence encoding a phosphoribosylglycinamide formyltransferase polypeptide of at least 70 amino acids that has at least 80% identity based on the Clustal method of alignment when compared to a polypeptide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:10, 12, 42, 44, and 46, or a second nucleotide sequence comprising the complement of the first nucleotide sequence.
 3. An isolated polynucleotide comprising a first nucleotide sequence encoding a phosphoribosylaminoimidazolecarboxamide formyltransferase polypeptide of at least 70 amino acids that has at least 90% identity based on the Clustal method of alignment when compared to a polypeptide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:14, 16, 48, 50, 52, and 54, or a second nucleotide sequence comprising the complement of the first nucleotide sequence.
 4. An isolated polynucleotide comprising a first nucleotide sequence encoding a formate-tetrahydrofolateligase polypeptide of at least 70 amino acids that has at least 90% identity based on the Clustal method of alignment when compared to a polypeptide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:18, 20, 22, 24, 56, 58, 60, and 62, or a second nucleotide sequence comprising the complement of the first nucleotide sequence.
 5. An isolated polynucleotide comprising a first nucleotide sequence encoding an aminomethyltransferase polypeptide of at least 60 amino acids that has at least 90% identity based on the Clustal method of alignment when compared to a polypeptide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:26, 28, 30, 32, 64, 66, 68, and 70, or a second nucleotide sequence comprising the complement of the first nucleotide sequence.
 6. The isolated polynucleotide of any of claim 1, claim 2, claim 3, claim 4, or claim 5, wherein the first nucleotide sequence consists of a nucleic acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 33, 35, 37, 39, 41, 43, 45, 47, 49, 51, 53, 55, 57, 59, 61, 63, 65, 67, and 69 that codes for the polypeptide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60, 62, 64, 66, 68, and
 70. 7. The isolated polynucleotide of any of claim 1, claim 2, claim 3, claim 4, or claim 5, wherein the nucleotide sequences are DNA.
 8. The isolated polynucleotide of any of claim 1, claim 2, claim 3, claim 4, or claim 5, wherein the nucleotide sequences are RNA.
 9. A chimeric gene comprising the isolated polynucleotide of any of claim 1, claim 2, claim 3, claim 4, or claim 5, operably linked to suitable regulatory sequences.
 10. A host cell comprising the chimeric gene of claim
 9. 11. A host cell comprising an isolated polynucleotide of any of claim 1, claim 2, claim 3, claim 4, or claim
 5. 12. The host cell of claim 11 wherein the host cell is selected from the group consisting of yeast, bacteria, plant, and virus.
 13. A virus comprising the isolated polynucleotide of any of claim 1, claim 2, claim 3, claim 4, or claim
 5. 14. A polypeptide of at least 100 amino acids that has at least 90% identity based on the Clustal method of aligmnent when compared to a polypeptide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:2, 4, 6, 8, 34, 36, 38, and
 40. 15. A polypeptide of at least 70 amino acids that has at least 80% identity based on the Clustal method of alignment when compared to a polypeptide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:10, 12, 42, 44, and
 46. 16. A polypeptide of at least 70 amino acids that has at least 90% identity based on the Clustal method of alignment when compared to a polypeptide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:14, 16, 48, 50, 52, and
 54. 17. A polypeptide of at least 70 amino acids that has at least 90% identity based on the Clustal method of alignment when compared to a polypeptide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:18, 20, 22, 24, 56, 58, 60, and
 62. 18. A polypeptide of at least 60 amino acids that has at least 90% identity based on the Clustal method of alignment when compared to a polypeptide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:26, 28, 30, 32, 64, 66, 68, and
 70. 19. A method of selecting an isolated polynucleotide that affects the level of expression of a tetrahydrofolate metabolic enzyme polypeptide in a plant cell, the method comprising the steps of: (a) constructing an isolated polynucleotide comprising a nucleotide sequence of at least one of 30 contiguous nucleotides derived from an isolated polynucleotide of any of claim 1, claim 2, claim 3, claim 4, or claim 5; (b) introducing the isolated polynucleotide into a plant cell; and (c) measuring the level of a polypeptide in the plant cell containing the polynucleotide to provide a positive selection means.
 20. The method of claim 19 wherein the isolated polynucleotide consists of a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 33, 35, 37, 39, 41, 43, 45, 47, 49, 51, 53, 55, 57, 59, 61, 63, 65, 67, and 69 that codes for the polypeptide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60, 62, 64, 66, 68, and
 70. 22. A method of selecting an isolated polynucleotide that affects the level of expression of a tetrahydrofolate metabolic enzyme polypeptide in a plant cell, the method comprising the steps of: (a) constructing an isolated polynucleotide of any of claim 1, claim 2, claim 3, claim 4, or claim 5; (b) introducing the isolated polynucleotide into a plant cell; and (c) measuring the level of polypeptide in the plant cell containing the polynucleotide to provide a positive selection means.
 23. A method of obtaining a nucleic acid fragment encoding a tetrahydrofolate metabolic enzyme polypeptide comprising the steps of: (a) synthesizing an oligonucleotide primer comprising a nucleotide sequence of at least one of 30 contiguous nucleotides derived from a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 33, 35, 37, 39, 41, 43, 45, 47, 49, 51, 53, 55, 57, 59, 61, 63, 65, 67, 69 and the complement of such nucleotide sequences; and (b) amplifying a nucleic acid sequence using the oligonucleotide primer.
 24. A method of obtaining a nucleic acid fragment encoding a tetrahydrofolate metabolic enzyme polypeptide comprising the steps of: (a) probing a cDNA or genomic library with an isolated polynucleotide comprising at least one of 30 contiguous nucleotides derived from a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 33, 35, 37, 39, 41, 43, 45, 47, 49, 51, 53, 55, 57, 59, 61, 63, 65, 67, 69 and the complement of such nucleotide sequences; (b) identifying a DNA clone that hybridizes with the isolated polynucleotide; (c) isolating the identified DNA clone; and (d) sequencing the cDNA or genomic fragment that comprises the isolated DNA clone.
 25. A method for evaluating at least one compound for its ability to inhibit the activity of a tetrahydrofolate metabolic enzyme, the method comprising the steps of: (a) transforming a host cell with a chimeric gene comprising a nucleic acid fragment encoding a tetrahydrofolate metabolic enzyme, operably linked to suitable regulatory sequences; (b) growing the transformed host cell under conditions that are suitable for expression of the chimeric gene wherein expression of the chimeric gene results in production of the tetrahydrofolate metabolic enzyme encoded by the operably linked nucleic acid fragment in the transformed host cell; (c) optionally purifying the tetrahydrofolate metabolic enzyme expressed by the transformed host cell; (d) treating the tetrahydrofolate metabolic enzyme with a compound to be tested; and (e) determining the activity of the tetrahydrofolate metabolic enzyme that has been treated with the compound, thereby selecting compounds with potential for inhibitory activity.
 26. A composition comprising the isolated polynucleotide of any one of claim 1, claim 2, claim 3, claim 4, or claim
 5. 27. A composition comprising the polypeptide of any one of claim 14, claim 15, claim 16, claim 17, or claim
 18. 28. An isolated polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence having at least one of 30 contiguous nucleotides derived from a nucleic acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 33, 35, 37, 39, 41, 43, 45, 47, 49, 51, 53, 55, 57, 59, 61, 63, 65, 67, and 69 and the complement of such sequences.
 29. An expression cassette comprising an isolated polynucleotide of any of claim 1, claim 2, claim 3, claim 4, or claim 5 operably linked to a promoter.
 30. A method for positive selection of a transformed cell comprising: (a) transforming a host cell with the chimeric gene of claim 9 or an expression cassette of claim 29; and (b) growing the transformed host cell under conditions which allow expression of the polynucleotide in an amount sufficient to complement a null mutant to provide a positive selection means.
 31. The method of claim 30 wherein the plant cell is a monocot.
 32. The method of claim 30 wherein the plant cell is a dicot. 